> FWIW I think it's a sign of intellectual dishonesty to complain vaguely about censorship of "widely held beliefs" without stating what those beliefs are.
I would hazard a guess that don't think those beliefs need to be stated because most people know that widely held beliefs are censored, and because it would make the discussion about something else. The Twitterfiles are available, as are all the discussions about censorship including by those running the social networks. They don't deny censorship, they attempt to justify it.
> "Free speech" is widely mocked as a supposed principle because it's a rallying call, not a specific thing.
Free speech is not a rallying call, and it most definitely is a principle, just as "democracy" is not a rallying call.
> Even people who'll proudly tell you "I may not agree with what you say but I'll defend your right to say it" will have limits if you keep pushing them on it.
And like democracy, different people will define it and (if they get the chance) implement it differently. However, they're all talking about democracy (maybe with the exception of North Korea's government).
> "Free speech" just means "I want to be able to say things I'm not allowed to say"
It most definitely does not mean that which means your following questions are moot. I would suggest that you find out what those supporting freedom of speech actually think.