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UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

freespeechunion.org

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Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#111

Post by dlkf »

pjc50 wrote: post #75
john_moscow wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think, being offended at words is mostly a sign of one's own personal insecurity. Can you imagine a successful doctor or a business owner being seriously offended because someone on the Internet called them a bad word? I bet they would respond same way I do when my son calls me a "bad papa" for insisting he finishes lunch before getting a desert. The bigger, much bigger problem is the growing amount of people that…

> Can you imagine a successful doctor or a business owner being seriously offended because someone on the Internet called them a bad word? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Chiropractic_Associati... : a journalist questioning some of the "alternative medicine" claims of chiropractors got them so offended they tried to sue him into silence. https://nypost.com/2019/12/31/alex-jones-to-pay-100k-in-sand... : as a fat…

OP said "successful doctor", it's unclear how chiropractors are relevant.

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#112

Post by Nasrudith »

commandlinefan wrote: post #4

What I’m becoming more painfully aware of with each passing year is that “free speech” is actually (sadly) a very unpopular ideal. We haven’t really had it in a long time, and we have less of it with each passing year - cheered on by a not insignificant majority.

It is like the US Congressional approval rating - evaluated narcicistically. The approval rating for your congress member is fairly good. Overall they don't like what everybody else chooses essentially.

In this case it is an immature and nonviable desire to have free speech for themselves (even those who assume they have nothing controversial to say assume that their views will remain so) but not for others.

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#114

Post by antihero »

commandlinefan wrote: post #4

What I’m becoming more painfully aware of with each passing year is that “free speech” is actually (sadly) a very unpopular ideal. We haven’t really had it in a long time, and we have less of it with each passing year - cheered on by a not insignificant majority.

[flagged]

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#115

Post by 52-6F-62 »

djohnston wrote: post #2

The last 5 years have really made question the benefits of free speech in our hyperconnected world. My knee jerk reaction to defend free speech has certainly been dampened by the efficacy of disinformation campaigns in the West.

The disinformation campaigns are definitely a problem, but I think peoples' susceptibility to them (as well as the very visible polarization etc) may only be growing pains.

The challenge is to make it through those adolescent years in a good way.

The current state of hyper connectedness has really come upon us all quickly. We weren't really ready for the challenges—we didn't really foresee what they would be.

There was a lot of naive optimism. I'm still optimistic, but maybe just less naive now.

Now that tech literacy is starting to become the norm, maybe we can advance to reasoning soon.

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#116

Post by disown »

djohnston wrote: post #2

The last 5 years have really made question the benefits of free speech in our hyperconnected world. My knee jerk reaction to defend free speech has certainly been dampened by the efficacy of disinformation campaigns in the West.

That's an argument against hyperconnection rather than free speech. Also, disinformation campaigns in the "West" have always existed. It's not anything new. And the only way to fight disinformation is with free speech. Free speech is what prevents disinformation to have total control.

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#117

Post by dalbasal »

umvi wrote: post #5
commandlinefan wrote: post #4

What I’m becoming more painfully aware of with each passing year is that “free speech” is actually (sadly) a very unpopular ideal. We haven’t really had it in a long time, and we have less of it with each passing year - cheered on by a not insignificant majority.

"The problem with freedom is that people abuse it and cause harm to others." Edit: (to be clear, I do not personally believe this, just offering a little insight as to how the "not insignificant majority" think)

In a similar way, the problem with democracy is that people can choose bad leaders. The problem with freedom of religion is that people can join harmful religions.

These aren't theoretical. Adolf Hitler was elected. There have been many harmful cults and religious groups. There are extreme examples in every society.

These freedoms and rights are dangerous. They are controversial. That's why they need explicit philosophies, constitutions and declarations in order to defend them broadly.

I think defending free speech with "the bad speech isn't that harmful, actually" is a bad road to go down.

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#118

Post by imafish »

monkeynotes wrote: post #54
umvi wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The problem with freedom is that people abuse it and cause harm to others." Edit: (to be clear, I do not personally believe this, just offering a little insight as to how the "not insignificant majority" think)

The way I see it is it's not free speech that is the problem, as such, it's that people who used to gossip to a small audience down the pub now have equal platforms to newspapers. The internet has levelled the playing field and now everyone is a politician with an agenda to push. The 'truth' has been revealed to mean whatever the audience is persuaded and agrees to believe. We are all subject to various cargo cults.…

> people who used to gossip to a small audience down the pub now have equal platforms to newspapers.

I'd say they have a bigger audience than newspapers. "Gossip" and "fake news" have higher engagement rates than boring real news, and thus are more likely to show up in the news feed on social advertisement platforms.

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#119

Post by AniseAbyss »

commandlinefan wrote: post #4

What I’m becoming more painfully aware of with each passing year is that “free speech” is actually (sadly) a very unpopular ideal. We haven’t really had it in a long time, and we have less of it with each passing year - cheered on by a not insignificant majority.

I am not in favour of it anymore, I have seen what it does in the US.

I don't want Qanon to speak I want him to get run over by a truck.

Re: UK government’s plans to regulate the internet are a threat to free speech

#120

Post by yakshaving_jgt »

dlkf wrote: post #111
pjc50 wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Can you imagine a successful doctor or a business owner being seriously offended because someone on the Internet called them a bad word? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Chiropractic_Associati... : a journalist questioning some of the "alternative medicine" claims of chiropractors got them so offended they tried to sue him into silence. https://nypost.com/2019/12/31/alex-jones-to-pay-100k-in-sand... : as a fat…

OP said "successful doctor", it's unclear how chiropractors are relevant.

Quacks can be wildly successful too.
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