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Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

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Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#81

Post by JumpCrisscross »

peteretep wrote: post #54

Good for Apple. It's terrifying that we need to rely on corporations rather than our elected representatives to make the right choices, though.

> It's terrifying that we need to rely on corporations rather than our elected representatives to make the right choices

I find the idea of the government restricting speech more terrifying. That's why we have the First Amendment. I will fight for Alex Jones' right to spew his garbage. But I'll also defend Apple's right, and in my eyes obligation, to not actively promote him.

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#82

Post by JumpCrisscross »

yontherubicon wrote: post #64
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> not even Jews, despite what his detractors might say He’s talked extensively about the Jewish mafia. He promoted violence against the made-up “Pizzagate” B.S. and only backed down because Texan libel law is particularly stern. I support Alex Jones’ right to speak, but I don’t think—particularly in the era of the Internet—Apple should support him.

>Jewish Mafia There's a Jewish Mafia? >Pizzagate He talked about it, sure, but if you can find me where he promotes violence against Alefantis then I'll eat my hat.

> There's a Jewish Mafia?

According to Jones [1][2].

(To be clear, there was a strain of Jewish-American organized crime around the turn of the last century [3], but that isn't what Jones was referring to.)

[1] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/10/26/13418304/...

[2] https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounders/alex-jones-five-...

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish-American_organized_crim...

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#83

Post by Grue3 »

threeseed wrote: post #23
mrschwabe wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly, now let's make open decentralized app distribution platforms that cannot be censored like this.

Go right ahead. And then watch as nobody uses them. Because nobody other than a fringe minority actually wants free speech in all its deranged, violent, racist, mysgonistic, cruel, abusive forms. The majority of us just want a nice, safe space free from the nasty side of humanity.

So nobody wants free speech then? Because speech that doesn't offend anybody obviously does not need to be protected.

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#84

Post by flukus »

sparkling wrote: post #43

I agree with most of the comments here. Private entities such as Apple should be free to work with whomever they want on their platforms. However, i feel if this was some left-leaning podcast, the same people supporting this removal would be outraged.

Unfortunately the concept of a principled stance seems to be a casualty of the current political polarization. It will come back to bite everyone on the left/progressive side of politics too because companies want to avoid being linked to any sort of controversy no matter what the position is and the left/progressives have lost any advantage in tech saviness.

A recent (local to Australia example) was this woman fired over pro-abortion tweets (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-30/cricket-australia-sack...). The same people cheering about someone getting fired for anti-ssm tweets were up in arms about this.

That said I also agree that apple should be able to do business (or not) with however they like, the problem is the level of control we gave them in the first place. Everyone publishing and subscribing to iTunes is responsible for this. Site's like InfoWars especially should have seen this coming.

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#85

Post by JumpCrisscross »

jiojfdsal3 wrote: post #73
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Since there is no ISP monopoly in my area, should these ISPs be allowed to block content? You cherry-picked one point. Taken together, Apple’s lack of monopoly status, terms of use and lack of an explicit history of subsidies and markets exclusively granted by fiat make the First Amendment less applicable to it than e.g. Verizon. In the cases where customers dinged ISPs for throttling, it came down to the ISPs havi…

Except Apple receives tons of subsidies.[1] Apple is much more of a monopoly than the ISPs in my local area. I can choose between Google or Apple. On the other hand, I can choose between Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Sonic, or T-Mobile. [1] https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/07/03/google-tesla-apple-fa...

> Apple is much more of a monopoly than the ISPs in my local area

The courts disagree. ISPs can be treated as public utilities by states, if they so choose. (New York's Public Service Commission just kicked an ISP out of the state [1].)

In any case, we are talking about specific products. Internet service with respect to ISPs; podcasting with respect to Apple. Apple does not have anything resembling a monopoly in podcasting.

[1] http://www.wktv.com/content/news/New-York-PSC-orders-Charter...

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#86

Post by hs86 »

onecooldev24 wrote: post #4
unixhero wrote: post #2

A slippery slope, but yeah, that rubbish had to go.

The only thing rubbish here is blatant disregard for freedom of speech (Didn't really expect anything different from the fools here). There are platforms that are monopoly and they control free speech at this point.

https://xkcd.com/1357/

This xkcd seems to fit here.

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#87

Post by mrschwabe »

threeseed wrote: post #23
mrschwabe wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly, now let's make open decentralized app distribution platforms that cannot be censored like this.

Go right ahead. And then watch as nobody uses them. Because nobody other than a fringe minority actually wants free speech in all its deranged, violent, racist, mysgonistic, cruel, abusive forms. The majority of us just want a nice, safe space free from the nasty side of humanity.

To each their own; ignorance is bliss I suppose. Me, I prefer my steaks rare and my information uncensored. We can co-exist of course; I respect your preference for well done and filtered content.

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#89

Post by tpush »

briandear wrote: post #66
__m wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He claimed the Sandy Hook shooting never happened for example and that the parents of the victims were actors

If we are to go down this route, I should hope South Park Mexican is removed from Apple Music next. I am no fan of Alex Jones, but he traffics in conspiracies for entertainment value. He’s a shock jock for the tin foil hat crowd. That doesn’t excuse his ideas, but South Park Mexican is serving 45 years for sexually assaulting a 9 year old girl and his music is available right now on Apple Music — an actual, convicted…

Alex Jones' podcast is banned because of the things he said in the podcast itself, not because he is a massive shitbag (understatement).

I don't know this South Park Mexican guy, but unless his _content_ on Apple Music is objectionable, there's no reason to remove it.

Re: Apple is removing Alex Jones and InfoWars’ podcasts from iTunes

#90

Post by orionblastar »

Here is a thread on Reddit that explains it more:

https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/94xu2n/apple_is...

He's basically lying to sell products when he lied about Sandy Hook being fake the victim's families got doxed by his crazed fans.

He also claimed the government was putting chemicals in the water that turns frogs gay, implying that the same chemicals turn people gay, etc.

This is really hurting people and it is getting out of control.

Apple cannot associate with this podcast for fear that they will be sued for listing it on their podcast lists.

For people not in the USA, Alex Jones is a chicken little conspiracy theorist claiming that the sky is falling but it is not. He claims we live on a prison planet that Nazi alien lizards that shapeshift control. Quite a bit crazy like him is also David Icke and others.

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