4 ms·
Freedom of speech means freedom from the government interfering in what you have to say (eg: Snowden). Letting people say whatever they want on the Internet do
by PppPpppPppP 9y ago
Freedom of speech means freedom from the government interfering in what you have to say (eg: Snowden).
Letting people say whatever they want on the Internet does result in bullies, trolls, extremists and other horrible people talking louder than more thoughtful speech, and in the end it silences reasonable people.
There is no law that forces me as an individual to respect what you say or to not try to silence you.
Censorship can only be done by the government, not by individuals; no one should trust the unfair bully who cries unfairness at being silenced.
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It's the silencing of obnoxious voices
that allows thoughtful voices to be heard.
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- TuringTest 9y agoWhere do you place the line that differentiates a government from a very powerful "private" individual? (or congregation of individuals).
- TuringTest 9y agoTo those downvoting, the above is a honest question. If a powerful group has significant control over public speech (say Google and Facebook-like power), why shouldn't we be wary of their power to censor their opponents? Merely because they don't (directly) have the power of law behind them, doesn't make them less dangerous than a government.
- yjftsjthsd-h 9y agoWe are discussing freedom of speech, not the first amendment.
- alphapapa 9y agoI find your voice obnoxious and unthoughtful. Be silent. See how that works? "Horrible," "thoughtful," "reasonable"--as defined by you. Might-makes-right and the-ends-justify-the-means. Astounding hubris and a stubborn refusal to learn from history. And an apparent inability to reason from abstract principles. This is why national borders (and federalism within national borders) are good: compartmentalization prevents damage from spreading. Without bulkheads, flooding easily sinks the whole ship.