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The decentralized nature of the web is critical to it's power for free speech. The whole point is that you shouldn't have to be dependent on a handful of media

• runeks 10y ago
  I'm not saying free speech isn't important, I'm only saying that perhaps it's not reasonable to expect that distributing information, that is highly damaging to certain parties, can be done free of charge. The web exponentially decreases the cost of distributing information, but can we reasonably expect it to be zero, always, for any type of information? Historically, free speech has meant that you can say whatever you want without fear of violence. It has never been synonymous with the right to have your opinions made available to everyone, free of charge. I think free speech is immensely important, which is why I think it we shouldn't confuse it with the ability to cheaply serve damaging information from a website with 100% uptime.
  • AnthonyMouse 10y ago
    The only way to make it not-free in a way that isn't censorship is to make it equally not-free for all information. Otherwise it's a content-based restriction, i.e. censorship. > Historically, free speech has meant that you can say whatever you want without fear of violence. That is untrue. For example, the government can't tax Democratic magazines and not Republican magazines (or vice versa).