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Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

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131–140 of 280 posts

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#131
post #123
post #17

Let’s suppose sci-hub distributes unauthorized content. It’s still not counterfeit. In the physical world I believe this is called the grey market. It’s legit, just not via official distribution channels. Anyhow, another case of Twitter capriciously moderating content and quelling free speech. The worst part though is that Twitter HQ sets the policy to whatever suits their fancy. They are not beholden to their users…

I chceked their counterfeit policy[1] to confirm; it's pretty clear and hews to the plain meaning of the word: > Counterfeit goods are goods, including digital goods, that are promoted, sold, or otherwise distributed using a trademark or brand that is identical to, or substantially indistinguishable from, the registered trademark or brand of another, without authorization from the trademark or brand owner. Counterfei…

So I can see a copyright angle. I agree.

Nevertheless, the account itself is not distributing either fake products or copyrighted products (one could argue the service which uses Twitter for comms, violates copyrights, but not the Twitter handle itself.)

I mean, why not ban the accounts for all accused criminals? There should be a firewall between the content of the Twitter account and the entity(ies) behind the accounts.

I really loathe how they are deciding what is permissible to say (as well as determining what IRL actions are non-grata and affect status of the a Twitter account. (We don’t like what we heard second hand that person said or did, so we’ll suspend or terminate account).

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#132
post #19

Will the new American administration (I'm not an American and should have no bone on American politics, but this is how the world works) will significantly enable Twitbookgle to exert powers they did not under Trumpism?

What limits did Trump admin put on them? They bullied them into up weighting Conservative content and down weighting Liberal content but I doubt that changes. https://www.motherjones.com/media/2020/10/facebook-mother-jo...

Not clear why the downvotes. This is literally what happened despite Trump winning in 2016 before this re-adjustment of weightings. I am sure the slide deck will come out in FTC, congressional or court hearings in the next few years.

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#133
post #4

Rights holders have been trying to get rid of sites like the pirate bay for more than a decade, and if anything PB is easier to find and more reliable to use than ever before. If they really want change, it's time for them to dispassionately consider their situation. The way to "beat" piracy is to consider it as a competitor, which it is. When I was a kid, everyone downloaded raw mp3s and now that number is a fractio…

> Publishers continue to screw content makers, but that's another conversation. Maybe, but part of the reason content creators will keep getting screwed is that there’s no way to pay them equitably with $5/mo subscriptions. Prices would have to rise. So it seems that the market alternative to piracy is gross exploitation.

I'm not saying it's right, in fact I will state the opposite - content creators are getting shafted on royalties - but it's always been this way for music and books and all content. Most content creators got a shitty deal on physical media and continue to get a shitty deal on streaming.

I don't accept as a given that my $10 a month subscription that I use to stream as few hours of music can't be fairly split with the publisher and the creator.

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#134
post #4

Rights holders have been trying to get rid of sites like the pirate bay for more than a decade, and if anything PB is easier to find and more reliable to use than ever before. If they really want change, it's time for them to dispassionately consider their situation. The way to "beat" piracy is to consider it as a competitor, which it is. When I was a kid, everyone downloaded raw mp3s and now that number is a fractio…

> Publishers continue to screw content makers, but that's another conversation. Maybe, but part of the reason content creators will keep getting screwed is that there’s no way to pay them equitably with $5/mo subscriptions. Prices would have to rise. So it seems that the market alternative to piracy is gross exploitation.

The value of content creation has dramatically declined because the barrier to entry has fallen so low. I find great new artists every week and would never have to listen to the same song twice (if I chose).

I can write a song, make a movie, and take photographs all from a pocket computer and publish globally instantly.

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#135

At some point we need to stop the hypocrisy, recognize that SciHub is too valuable to the community to be shut down, and fix laws so that it becomes either legal or useless. That's no easy task, but it's much better than having scientists from all over the world rely on it while simultaneously pretending they are dangerous criminals.

Twitter tries to cancel the Library of Alexandra. We should discuss a bit about Twitter as well, I think.

In other comments I saw the resonable demand to express support for Elbakyan. Recall that we discuss about the biggest free library of research works.

I tried this here: https://chorasimilarity.wordpress.com/2021/01/08/enemies-of-...

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#136
post #17

Let’s suppose sci-hub distributes unauthorized content. It’s still not counterfeit. In the physical world I believe this is called the grey market. It’s legit, just not via official distribution channels. Anyhow, another case of Twitter capriciously moderating content and quelling free speech. The worst part though is that Twitter HQ sets the policy to whatever suits their fancy. They are not beholden to their users…

Twitter is a for-profit US corporation. If you have enough money they will literally do anything you want, as in this case. In my opinion, if they need to update their terms of service in order to make that easier they certainly will do so either after they take action or immediately before.

I don't think there's any reason to expect Twitter to honor the right to free speech as described in the US constitution as they aren't associated with the US federal or any US state government. Any management of content on the site will be done only to the extent that it benefits Twitter monetarily.

In my opinion, there's no good reason to expect anything different.

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#137
post #17

Let’s suppose sci-hub distributes unauthorized content. It’s still not counterfeit. In the physical world I believe this is called the grey market. It’s legit, just not via official distribution channels. Anyhow, another case of Twitter capriciously moderating content and quelling free speech. The worst part though is that Twitter HQ sets the policy to whatever suits their fancy. They are not beholden to their users…

Twitter is a for-profit US corporation. If you have enough money they will literally do anything you want, as in this case. In my opinion, if they need to update their terms of service in order to make that easier they certainly will do so either after they take action or immediately before. I don't think there's any reason to expect Twitter to honor the right to free speech as described in the US constitution as the…

Yes, I suppose as laws stand this is correct. However, given the typical use case of the service, I reluctantly would like to see them regulated as a Telco who cannot deny services.

It’s become the miss “Goody Two Shoes” bully network, unfortunately.

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#139
post #129
post #16

Isn't Twitter a private organization that can ban anyone they want?

Yup. Private citizens and organizations can do many shameful, reprehensible things, such as engaging in arbitrary (and legal) censorship, such as what Twitter does. Only assholes decide unilaterally for other adults what they're allowed to see and read.

[deleted]

Re: Sci-Hub Founder Criticizes Sudden Twitter Ban over “Counterfeit” Content

#140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's exactly my question: are they going to acquire new powers that we didn't know existed?

If anything I feel its more likely that they will face additional scrutiny. My understanding is the Democrats want more anti-trust laws, and are more likely to break up the big tech companies. Not sure how that might affect Twitter, but Apple, Google (Alphabet), Facebook, and Amazon are probably going to face a lot of additional issues. https://apnews.com/article/technology-50e69e921c6699a3edbd73...

This might have been political posturing. The Obama administration was very cozy with SV and there's significant influence from big tech on Biden's administration[1]. Only time will tell.

[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/21/big-techs-stealth-push-to-in...

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