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> free speech absolutists on HN that can't deal with the real possibility that some speech is utterly worthless I think lots of speech is worthless but just be

by ng12 10y ago

> free speech absolutists on HN that can't deal with the real possibility that some speech is utterly worthless I think lots of speech is worthless but just because I think that doesn't mean it needs to be censored. If I didn't find any real value in your post I'd still defend your right to post it. Personally, I have a very real problem with online communities bullying people into using their power to further political goals and so I applaud Shopify's response.

norea-armozel 10y ago
>I think lots of speech is worthless but just because I think that doesn't mean it needs to be censored. But the fact that a mod on a site or a site owner deciding not to let you use their site as a platform doesn't diminish your ability to speak. The Internet by design gets around this problem. Don't expect the every site to act as a mirror to share all beliefs. Let site owners do what they will (and I respect the people at Shopify to do their own decisions even though I think it does make them complicit with bigots). >If I didn't find any real value in your post I'd still defend your right to post it. That's the problem, we're not owed a right to post anywhere but on our sites. Anywhere else that we're not paying for access or are an owner (jointly or wholly) is a privilege. We're guests here and anywhere else like that. >Personally, I have a very real problem with online communities bullying people into using their power to further political goals and so I applaud Shopify's response. And I think their choice is a naive one because it assumes all economic actions are value free. Every choice they make at this point is a political and moral act. To state otherwise is to lie to one's self. It's better to stand by a set of values that they think are compatible with their venture than to pretend they have no values.
robbiemitchell 10y ago
A government censors. A company moderates/prohibits/etc.
- ng12 10y ago
  Patently untrue (by definition) and also an incredibly dangerous thing to say when non-governmental agencies control such a huge portion of information dissemination.

by ng12 10y ago

norea-armozel 10y ago

>I think lots of speech is worthless but just because I think that doesn't mean it needs to be censored. But the fact that a mod on a site or a site owner deciding not to let you use their site as a platform doesn't diminish your ability to speak. The Internet by design gets around this problem. Don't expect the every site to act as a mirror to share all beliefs. Let site owners do what they will (and I respect the people at Shopify to do their own decisions even though I think it does make them complicit with bigots). >If I didn't find any real value in your post I'd still defend your right to post it. That's the problem, we're not owed a right to post anywhere but on our sites. Anywhere else that we're not paying for access or are an owner (jointly or wholly) is a privilege. We're guests here and anywhere else like that. >Personally, I have a very real problem with online communities bullying people into using their power to further political goals and so I applaud Shopify's response. And I think their choice is a naive one because it assumes all economic actions are value free. Every choice they make at this point is a political and moral act. To state otherwise is to lie to one's self. It's better to stand by a set of values that they think are compatible with their venture than to pretend they have no values.

robbiemitchell 10y ago

A government censors. A company moderates/prohibits/etc.

ng12 10y ago
Patently untrue (by definition) and also an incredibly dangerous thing to say when non-governmental agencies control such a huge portion of information dissemination.