8 ms·

If you broke the TOS of your water company, would it be acceptable for them to cut the water connection to your house? I mean if you don't like it, you could a

by jb775 6y ago

If you broke the TOS of your water company, would it be acceptable for them to cut the water connection to your house? I mean if you don't like it, you could always just go pick up your own water...or install underground pipes to a local water source.

antris 6y ago
Having your message broadcasted through Twitter is not a human right or essential to your survival. Also, what kind of TOS would a water company have that you can break? This example is ridiculous.
- jb775 6y ago
  Sorry, but since the water company is privately owned they can do whatever they please. If you don't like it, you can build your own water company. Thanks! ...now you know how it feels for anyone on the opposite side of your argument.
  - fishtacos 6y ago
    Please post a link to the terms of service of your water company. I'm doubtful there is no clause in your city's/county's/municipality's/state's, etc. that allows them to interrupt service without cause. That's why terms of service exist. Now I'm genuinely curious to find out what terms of service you agreed to with the private water company. What type of settlement do you live in?
  - antris 6y ago
    Nah. The water infrastructure at my home isn't owned by a private company. I live in a state that has this radical policy that water is a human right and should not be commoditized.
    - WClayFerguson 6y ago
      On a related note: The Governor of California was cutting off electricity and water to homes for the crime of "peaceful assembly", recently... so it's not just free speech that's under assault, but probably you could say most rights, at this point. The good ol' democrat mantra: "Never let a good crisis go to waste."
  - astura 6y ago
    What? I have municipal water.
- WClayFerguson 6y ago
  The obvious point is that both internet and water are public services, and the minute we let companies start cutting off services for political reasons we no longer have a democracy.
orf 6y ago
I’m sure you can see how patently absurd comparing a provider of liquid essential to human life to... Twitter is.
fishtacos 6y ago
What kind of analogy is that? Tweets vs. water? Also, yes, you would not be provided water/electricity/cable/internet/pudding if you broke their terms of service. Apart from not paying your bill and perhaps willful destruction of their equipment, I'm having a hard time trying to come up with how else one breaks the terms of service for utility services. That sounds completely normal to me. Additionally, people do go without certain utilities in times of economic hardship - this is nothing new. We're not guaranteed access any such services.
- WClayFerguson 6y ago
  Well if big companies get to just set arbitrary rules that discriminate against one set of political beliefs, what does that say about "Civil Rights" then? I guess you're not a big fan of civil rights... Or, more likely, is it only when companies are doing things you agree with that you'll claim they have absolute power and authority? If you understand history, you might see the flaw in this logic.
  - fishtacos 6y ago
    These companies are not "discriminating" against any particular political view. Calls for political violence and extremism/terrorism have and continue to be moderated on these platforms from both sides. It is unfortunate that you don't understand the distinction between inciting violence via either direct calls for such or indirectly by repeating the same unfounded lies of "a stolen election" VS political speech/civil rights, which have not been abrogated (there are plenty of conservative commentators on Twitter, some of whom I follow). As for my background, I am an immigrant from a post-communist Eastern European country, live in the US in the South and finished with political science and journalism degrees. Can assure you my appreciation of civil rights is intact. As a general rule, even when situations like this occur, I lean on the side of caution, so I understand the slippery slope argument you're making. There will continue to be a national discussion about what the limits are in the still-uncharted world of social media and the limits of expression vs. platform and publisher rights, but your alarmist view is, IMO, over the top.
    - 6y ago

by jb775 6y ago

antris 6y ago

Having your message broadcasted through Twitter is not a human right or essential to your survival. Also, what kind of TOS would a water company have that you can break? This example is ridiculous.

jb775 6y ago
Sorry, but since the water company is privately owned they can do whatever they please. If you don't like it, you can build your own water company. Thanks! ...now you know how it feels for anyone on the opposite side of your argument.
- fishtacos 6y ago
  Please post a link to the terms of service of your water company. I'm doubtful there is no clause in your city's/county's/municipality's/state's, etc. that allows them to interrupt service without cause. That's why terms of service exist. Now I'm genuinely curious to find out what terms of service you agreed to with the private water company. What type of settlement do you live in?
- antris 6y ago
  Nah. The water infrastructure at my home isn't owned by a private company. I live in a state that has this radical policy that water is a human right and should not be commoditized.
  - WClayFerguson 6y ago
    On a related note: The Governor of California was cutting off electricity and water to homes for the crime of "peaceful assembly", recently... so it's not just free speech that's under assault, but probably you could say most rights, at this point. The good ol' democrat mantra: "Never let a good crisis go to waste."
- astura 6y ago
  What? I have municipal water.
WClayFerguson 6y ago
The obvious point is that both internet and water are public services, and the minute we let companies start cutting off services for political reasons we no longer have a democracy.

orf 6y ago

I’m sure you can see how patently absurd comparing a provider of liquid essential to human life to... Twitter is.

fishtacos 6y ago

What kind of analogy is that? Tweets vs. water? Also, yes, you would not be provided water/electricity/cable/internet/pudding if you broke their terms of service. Apart from not paying your bill and perhaps willful destruction of their equipment, I'm having a hard time trying to come up with how else one breaks the terms of service for utility services. That sounds completely normal to me. Additionally, people do go without certain utilities in times of economic hardship - this is nothing new. We're not guaranteed access any such services.

WClayFerguson 6y ago
Well if big companies get to just set arbitrary rules that discriminate against one set of political beliefs, what does that say about "Civil Rights" then? I guess you're not a big fan of civil rights... Or, more likely, is it only when companies are doing things you agree with that you'll claim they have absolute power and authority? If you understand history, you might see the flaw in this logic.
- fishtacos 6y ago
  These companies are not "discriminating" against any particular political view. Calls for political violence and extremism/terrorism have and continue to be moderated on these platforms from both sides. It is unfortunate that you don't understand the distinction between inciting violence via either direct calls for such or indirectly by repeating the same unfounded lies of "a stolen election" VS political speech/civil rights, which have not been abrogated (there are plenty of conservative commentators on Twitter, some of whom I follow). As for my background, I am an immigrant from a post-communist Eastern European country, live in the US in the South and finished with political science and journalism degrees. Can assure you my appreciation of civil rights is intact. As a general rule, even when situations like this occur, I lean on the side of caution, so I understand the slippery slope argument you're making. There will continue to be a national discussion about what the limits are in the still-uncharted world of social media and the limits of expression vs. platform and publisher rights, but your alarmist view is, IMO, over the top.
  - 6y ago