Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

981–990 of 1001 posts

Re: Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

#981

Post by flowside »

jturpin wrote: post #802
ianbutler wrote: post #758

I'm just going to come out and say something that I've had a hard self reflective time coming to the conclusion of. I don't believe in free speech without limits. I have strongly felt that the actions taken by these companies is morally and ethically the right thing to do, for any business and that is inconsistent with believing in true free speech. My line for free speech seems to lie in speech that incites violence…

I have not yet concluded whether I believe in free speech without limits, but I can at least say with confidence the following: - Freedom of speech is of extremely high importance for any free society and should not be taken for granted - Removing it in any capacity should be done with extreme care and free of any bias one way or another, with a lot of thought put into any future consequences - Speech without a platf…

The fact that 4chan and Stormfront continue to exist is proof that no one's speech is being stifled. No one is entitled to these services. On top of this, this is also a business decision. Imagine the negative press that might come out if these platforms continue to host Parler. How many other customers might they lose as a result? Boycotts happen all the time, and why should any company stick their neck out for Parler? I guarantee no one at Apple, Google, or AWS made this decision because they felt it was "the moral thing to do."

Similarly, FOX News is under no obligation to broadcast "all opinions." There is no real distinction in this case.

Re: Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

#982

Post by slcjordan »

oliv__ wrote: post #628

I'm having a real hard time understanding how all the comments in the thread are in favor of this. I mean, even if you disagree with the idea of Parler, how can one willingly support this kind of censorship? "First they came for the XYZ and I didn't care because I wasn't XYZ, then they came for the ..., and then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me"

At the very least, every company hosted on AWS should be evaluating whether they are liberal enough to stay in Amazon's good graces.

Re: Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

#983

Post by MichaelMoser123 »

mikaeluman wrote: post #809

I’ve said it before: I find this highly disturbing. Especially the sense in which it is coordinated. Amazon, Google and Apple acting together to shut down a platform that has been very clear about its stance on content moderation from the outset. Free speech is not just any value. Sooner or later you will find yourself on the side of an issue where your speech will be attacked. Then there is the always present double…

the world seems to have changed, none could have imagined a situation like this some ten years ago; what is happening now would be equivalent to myspace stopping facebook by forcing isp's to cut them off the line. If looks as if the big companies forgot where they came from.

Re: Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

#984

Post by UnitingFolks »

jturpin wrote: post #802
ianbutler wrote: post #758

I'm just going to come out and say something that I've had a hard self reflective time coming to the conclusion of. I don't believe in free speech without limits. I have strongly felt that the actions taken by these companies is morally and ethically the right thing to do, for any business and that is inconsistent with believing in true free speech. My line for free speech seems to lie in speech that incites violence…

I have not yet concluded whether I believe in free speech without limits, but I can at least say with confidence the following: - Freedom of speech is of extremely high importance for any free society and should not be taken for granted - Removing it in any capacity should be done with extreme care and free of any bias one way or another, with a lot of thought put into any future consequences - Speech without a platf…

I think banning things temporarily to finish Biden take presidency seems OK to me. But banning permanently means we are failing with arguments to win over people. Opposing violence permanently seems OK to me, but then a law should be made for it and not left for individual company.

Usually it is recommended that for complex and emotional content email/text communication is not good. It should be done in person. In social media complex/emotional things are being discussed in text form which causes more rift. So we need better tools video/animation/pictures to discuss things that are being discussed in social media. These better tools should be easy to use for common person to use and communicate.

It will be also good to have a tool, which for any argument gives all the assumption being made. Such a tool can also help in communicating better.

In short we need better communication tools and better laws. (minor edit and added last sentence)

Re: Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

#986

Post by SoSoRoCoCo »

ianbutler wrote: post #758

I'm just going to come out and say something that I've had a hard self reflective time coming to the conclusion of. I don't believe in free speech without limits. I have strongly felt that the actions taken by these companies is morally and ethically the right thing to do, for any business and that is inconsistent with believing in true free speech. My line for free speech seems to lie in speech that incites violence…

You're right. It's not either/or. It is possible to have limits.

But the society should determine those limits. We are completely within our right to do so. If we don't want people stomping around claiming and ethnic group is subhuman and should be exterminated, society has the right to determine that. We choose our representatives, they make a law, and then that speech is no longer protected.

Now, the people who would be subjected to that limit are going to fight tooth and nail to defend it. They will espouse all manner of fallacy, especially the slippery slope that the US will become China or North Korea or Russia. These are intentional tactics to obfuscate the power of the majority for their nefarious schemes.

However, if the majority decides it wants to ban, say, all non-Christian speech, then other rights kick in: such as the right to practice any religion freely.

The Bill of Rights is a fairly astute document not just in its content but its malleability (hello prohibition & slavery & suffrage), because the Constitution was missing a lot of important things. Let's not underestimate it, nor let others do so.

Re: Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

#989

Post by paulnechifor »

daenz wrote: post #342

Nice website you got there. It would be a shame if some anonymous trolls posted more illegal content than your moderators could handle, and forced you off of every platform. You're in luck, we provide an online troll protection service. For a monthly fee, we'll make sure that trolls don't bother you.

That's not how it works. The decision was entirely political. Twitter is full of assassination calls but it's in no danger of getting banned: https://twitter.com/hashtag/assassinatetrump .

Re: Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler

#990

Post by swiley »

Regardless of how you feel about free speech: Apple and Google being able to dictate what software is popular/acceptable/usable and what software is not is 100% not ok.

Dump your smartphone or if you must have one use a pinephone.

Post reply on HN