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Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

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Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#281
post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the alternative? Do you think that the government should nationalize private companies? Or perhaps they should dictate to them who should be their clients? If a company like Google doesn't want to do business with Parler, that is their right. That is free market. If the market didn't agree with it, the free market forces would make sure that Google dwindles and another company replaces them.

Google and Apple have a duopoly. In the wake of 2016 we collectively agreed that Big Tech has the ability to influence elections, now is the time to think about how to protect our democracy. My take is simple: either treat social media conglomerates like we do telecom or break them up like we did AT&T.

I agree with breaking up companies which are monopolies/duopolies. But why do you think that those broken up companies wouldn't behave the same in this case (ban Trump, Parler, etc). If that's what the majority of users want, then such decisions increase their profit. If there was 5 mobile OS/store companies today, I'm pretty sure the same would happen on all 5.

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#282
post #25

It’s pretty coincidental that all of these tech companies are having epiphanies simultaneously now that Democrats will control the house/senate/and presidency. The interesting question is whether they are doing it out fear of anti trust action from Democrats or weren’t doing it for the last four years out of fear of Republicans.

It's almost like there was some sort of catalyst event that occurred very recently that would provoke such a response. /s

"You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before." -Some guy from some political party

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Parler has terms of service that prohibit calls for violence. My guess is that the moderators (I'm one) simply can't keep up with the volume.

If you run a social network and can’t keep up with moderation for calls for violence you shouldn’t be allowed to be in business. This goes for the big tech companies as well. “It’s hard” is not an excuse.

> If you run a social network and can’t keep up with moderation for calls for violence you shouldn’t be allowed to be in business. This goes for the big tech companies as well.

This is such a narrow minded view and doesn't hold up to historical precedent.

Was Facebook banned from app stores when shooters live streamed on their platform?

Was Twitter banned from app stores when calls for violence against Nick Sandmann were spreading?

Was Youtube banned from app stores when it was discovered that child predators were lurking in the comments and exploiting underage children?

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#285
post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious why so many Democrats were allowed to encourage the BLM riots (more than 25 dead, $2 billion in property damage) without so much as a peep from Google, Twitter, Facebook or any other tech giant. Kamala Harris said "they should not stop" and helped with a bail fund for the people who were involved with them. I think protest is a fundamental requirement of democracy, and as Chris Cuomo himself reminded us:…

Most of the damage from BLM was incited by police, who were 500x more aggressive towards black protestors than the terrorists at the capitol.

Absolutely not true. Actually the police avoided the BLM protests for the most part. "500x more aggressive", my ass! You're just making stuff up.

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes people cannot think for themselves, we need to make sure they cannot speak or be near us. If they make their own platform like we tell them to, we'll just ban that too, haha.

You’re right. Everyone is definitely capable of thinking for themselves. No one would ever, say, violently storm the nation’s capitol because they believed propaganda about election fraud.

Yes, we will wipe every Trump supporter from the internet because of that. Anytime anyone does or reads anything then acts on their own accord, the political belief they are part of will be /dev/nulled into oblivion.

So it shall be. Begin purge.

Retroactively scanning 2020...

10,000 results found spanning 1 political ideology, billions of dollars in property damage, threats made, multiple cities burned, autonomous zones created, dozens dead.

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course it’s censorship. Censorship has nothing to do with who is doing it. Whether a private company suppresses communication or the government does it, it’s still censorship.

So the government should be able to force your business to do something against your will? That doesn't sound like free market of which USA, and particularly conservatives, are so proud of.

> So the government should be able to force your business to do something against your will?

No one said that. We can criticize companies for censorship with or without wanting government intervention.

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#288

It’s pretty coincidental that all of these tech companies are having epiphanies simultaneously now that Democrats will control the house/senate/and presidency. The interesting question is whether they are doing it out fear of anti trust action from Democrats or weren’t doing it for the last four years out of fear of Republicans.

The threats are no longer hypothetical (or FUD), we've seen what the mislead masses can and will do

This is EXACTLY why this is bad. If you censor the narrative, then you get to control it and history tells us that the first thing you'll do with it is mislead the masses.

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#289
post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious why so many Democrats were allowed to encourage the BLM riots (more than 25 dead, $2 billion in property damage) without so much as a peep from Google, Twitter, Facebook or any other tech giant. Kamala Harris said "they should not stop" and helped with a bail fund for the people who were involved with them. I think protest is a fundamental requirement of democracy, and as Chris Cuomo himself reminded us:…

BLM riots were not a direct and realistic threat to the establishment. They are scared.

The establishment is you. Country by, of, and for the people.

Americans refuse to act collectively except to circle back to their job every morning, propping up “the establishment”.

Let’s stop pretending we’re above it all.

Re: Google suspending Parler from the Google Play store

#290

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The purge has been happening for years. I hate how people on HN is praising this. There are literally few alternatives for the average person apart from Google and eyeProducts. I have a PinePhone, but what percentage of America can truly put in the effort to use one? If you cannot install an run your own software on a device, you do not own the device. You cannot praise the removal of Gab or Parlor now and complain l…

I think one potentially positive outcome is increased knowledge of side-loading apps. Granted, this really only exists as an option on Android but Fortnite demonstrated the feasibility of this approach. If side-loaded apps gain traction it might break the Google Play store monopoly.

This is a pretty likely outcome - fracture. And certainly wouldn't be the worst for the Internet.

What if the same happens to the Union ...

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