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This is one of the dangers of using "hate speech" as an nebulous term. You can then turn it around and use it as an excuse to ban whatever you want. I could e

This is one of the dangers of using "hate speech" as an nebulous term. You can then turn it around and use it as an excuse to ban whatever you want. I could easily read through any of the front page posts on Reddit, and find what I consider to be hate speech, and if I were in a position of power, I could just use that as a justification to ban the entire domain. Moreover, it easily allows adversaries the ability to plant hate speech in forums they dislike, and then pressure the authorities to ban it. At the end of the day, I am an adult, and I reject the notion that sites need to protect me from speech.

cambalache 6y ago
"If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him." Cardinal Richelieu (Alledgelly) A lesson this generation will have to learn again.
- theinverseidea 6y ago
  Its terribly sad, and equally confusing has to how we got here. At least they'll have a firm understanding of just how sexist light speed is.
  - thick 6y ago
    Not sad or confusing at all. It’s par for the course. WSB likes to use a line from The Dark Knight that Joker says - that it’s not about the money, it’s about sending a message. It’s very apt and I look forward to how far these things go. I’m fine being on a site that doesn’t share my views. I’ll sit and laugh as the system fucks over every last person that keep defending it against their (and everyone else’s) better interests. And then when they can’t find the downvote button anymore because it’s no longer allowed, I’ll laugh some more.
- Rastonbury 6y ago
  Ah yes we should learn to self-censor to save the powers that be the trouble!
- cycloptic 6y ago
  I'm confused, what is the lesson here? That quote seems to get thrown around so often that it can be applied to anytime that anyone gets criticized for anything. The moderator's statement appears to be asking for more help with moderation, not advocating for less moderation or advocating for more hateful behavior to be allowed.
  - TeMPOraL 6y ago
    > That quote seems to get thrown around so often that it can be applied to anytime that anyone gets criticized for anything. That's the point. It serves to show the perils of judging people by what they say, particularly if single offence against some perceived norms becomes a standard for punishment. And there's another quote from that same period: "like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children" (Jacques Mallet du Pan).
    - Guthur 6y ago
      The point should be deeper than that, the character, methods and legacy of the Cardinal Richelieu are the important aspects. The man cement centralised power within France by through a multitude of authoritarian methods. And so in my opinion it's the motives behind such a statement that are important.
    - cycloptic 6y ago
      I have to say, that still doesn't mean much to me here. In a real court system, we judge people by their actions and behaviors, sometimes their speech can play into that. I assume that's what the author was referring to. (Apparently the origin of this quote is not clear, but it does seem to come from that same time period) This can't be compared to social media, the only way to judge anyone in the context of a social media platform is by what they say. That's all there is on these platforms, if you take that away, there's nothing left. You are judging someone every time you make a decision whether to like/follow/reply/retweet or not. If your view is that all that doesn't matter and the speech is meaningless, then it follows that any perceived punishments are also meaningless.
  - bsder 6y ago
- bpcpdx 6y ago
  "Give me 280 characters typed by the hand of an honest man, I will find something in them to cancel him." Anon paraphrasing Cardinal Richelieu (Alledgelly)
  - chokeartist 6y ago
    "Give me Robinhood and a live stream of r/WallStreetBets and I will make Hedge Funds tremble in fear." Autist Trader, Circa 2021
- dfxm12 6y ago
  The lesson in that quote is that it doesn't matter what you write, if someone with the right authority wants you hanged, or wants to shut down your discord, it'll happen regardless of due process. This is different from what the parent poster is implying. It's about the dangers of authoritarianism. No plants or justification are necessary.
prawn 6y ago
I don't think they're protecting you from speech, but protecting themselves from it. A murky reputation harms their ad revenue or corporate opportunities, I imagine.

cambalache 6y ago

"If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him." Cardinal Richelieu (Alledgelly) A lesson this generation will have to learn again.

theinverseidea 6y ago
Its terribly sad, and equally confusing has to how we got here. At least they'll have a firm understanding of just how sexist light speed is.
- thick 6y ago
  Not sad or confusing at all. It’s par for the course. WSB likes to use a line from The Dark Knight that Joker says - that it’s not about the money, it’s about sending a message. It’s very apt and I look forward to how far these things go. I’m fine being on a site that doesn’t share my views. I’ll sit and laugh as the system fucks over every last person that keep defending it against their (and everyone else’s) better interests. And then when they can’t find the downvote button anymore because it’s no longer allowed, I’ll laugh some more.
Rastonbury 6y ago
Ah yes we should learn to self-censor to save the powers that be the trouble!
cycloptic 6y ago
I'm confused, what is the lesson here? That quote seems to get thrown around so often that it can be applied to anytime that anyone gets criticized for anything. The moderator's statement appears to be asking for more help with moderation, not advocating for less moderation or advocating for more hateful behavior to be allowed.
- TeMPOraL 6y ago
  > That quote seems to get thrown around so often that it can be applied to anytime that anyone gets criticized for anything. That's the point. It serves to show the perils of judging people by what they say, particularly if single offence against some perceived norms becomes a standard for punishment. And there's another quote from that same period: "like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children" (Jacques Mallet du Pan).
  - Guthur 6y ago
    The point should be deeper than that, the character, methods and legacy of the Cardinal Richelieu are the important aspects. The man cement centralised power within France by through a multitude of authoritarian methods. And so in my opinion it's the motives behind such a statement that are important.
  - cycloptic 6y ago
    I have to say, that still doesn't mean much to me here. In a real court system, we judge people by their actions and behaviors, sometimes their speech can play into that. I assume that's what the author was referring to. (Apparently the origin of this quote is not clear, but it does seem to come from that same time period) This can't be compared to social media, the only way to judge anyone in the context of a social media platform is by what they say. That's all there is on these platforms, if you take that away, there's nothing left. You are judging someone every time you make a decision whether to like/follow/reply/retweet or not. If your view is that all that doesn't matter and the speech is meaningless, then it follows that any perceived punishments are also meaningless.
- bsder 6y ago
bpcpdx 6y ago
"Give me 280 characters typed by the hand of an honest man, I will find something in them to cancel him." Anon paraphrasing Cardinal Richelieu (Alledgelly)
- chokeartist 6y ago
  "Give me Robinhood and a live stream of r/WallStreetBets and I will make Hedge Funds tremble in fear." Autist Trader, Circa 2021
dfxm12 6y ago
The lesson in that quote is that it doesn't matter what you write, if someone with the right authority wants you hanged, or wants to shut down your discord, it'll happen regardless of due process. This is different from what the parent poster is implying. It's about the dangers of authoritarianism. No plants or justification are necessary.

prawn 6y ago

I don't think they're protecting you from speech, but protecting themselves from it. A murky reputation harms their ad revenue or corporate opportunities, I imagine.