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Yes, I seriously believe that Parler was shut down because of of big tech collusion and not because the users voluntarily abandoned it, disgusted by the content

by smsm42 5y ago

Yes, I seriously believe that Parler was shut down because of of big tech collusion and not because the users voluntarily abandoned it, disgusted by the content cultivated there. I can tell you why I believe it - because Parler was shut down by the collusion of big tech companies, while many many users (millions) were willing to go there and tolerate the type of content that you obviously don't like. It's something that is called "fact". After Parler was able to overcome the hostile actions of the big tech, they still have millions of users. You may not be one of them, and that's ok - you are free to use whatever networks you like, and if the content on Parler disgusts you, you're free to avoid it and join the network you like. What you're not entitled to do is to invent your own facts. BTW, another fact - most of the planning for US Capitol protest that is known about actually happened on Facebook, and livestreaming the even also happened on Facebook and Youtube. Of course, nobody shut them down for that.

root_axis 5y ago
> I seriously believe that Parler was shut down because of of big tech collusion and not because the users voluntarily abandoned it. Try reading my post again because I never made any such claim. > most of the planning for US Capitol protest that is known about actually happened on Facebook I never stated otherwise (besides calling it an attack, not a "protest"). It seems to me you have fixated on a certain perspective and are projecting that on to my comment.
- smsm42 5y ago
  You said: These sites are popular as the function of individual choices, short of authoritarianism you can't dictate which sites people decide to use. In fact, however, Big Tech oligopolists very much can dictate that people won't be able to use sites they want to use (despite the fact you personally don't like the content there). If I decide to use Parler but Parler is shut down by Amazon, then it's very much not a product of my individual choice. > I never stated otherwise And again, you said: People bring up Parler as if the political context of the very recent (at the time) attack on the U.S. capitol had no bearing on how things transpired. What transpired is that some people involved in Capitol protest on Jan 6 were using Parler, and many more were using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc. Parler was shut down - very much not a product of individual choice of anyone but Jeff Bezos maybe - and neither of other platforms, who played bigger role in the same event, didn't even bat an eye. So your mentioning the events at the US Capitol only goes to illustrate my point, not yours - the idea that we somehow have a free market here where people are free to choose whatever platform they like according to their individual choice is very much delusional. Some platforms have more freedoms than others, and some are subjected to strictest scrutiny - and sometimes shut down - despite the preferences of their users. That's my perspective, which aligns with known facts.

by smsm42 5y ago

root_axis 5y ago

> I seriously believe that Parler was shut down because of of big tech collusion and not because the users voluntarily abandoned it. Try reading my post again because I never made any such claim. > most of the planning for US Capitol protest that is known about actually happened on Facebook I never stated otherwise (besides calling it an attack, not a "protest"). It seems to me you have fixated on a certain perspective and are projecting that on to my comment.

smsm42 5y ago
You said: These sites are popular as the function of individual choices, short of authoritarianism you can't dictate which sites people decide to use. In fact, however, Big Tech oligopolists very much can dictate that people won't be able to use sites they want to use (despite the fact you personally don't like the content there). If I decide to use Parler but Parler is shut down by Amazon, then it's very much not a product of my individual choice. > I never stated otherwise And again, you said: People bring up Parler as if the political context of the very recent (at the time) attack on the U.S. capitol had no bearing on how things transpired. What transpired is that some people involved in Capitol protest on Jan 6 were using Parler, and many more were using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc. Parler was shut down - very much not a product of individual choice of anyone but Jeff Bezos maybe - and neither of other platforms, who played bigger role in the same event, didn't even bat an eye. So your mentioning the events at the US Capitol only goes to illustrate my point, not yours - the idea that we somehow have a free market here where people are free to choose whatever platform they like according to their individual choice is very much delusional. Some platforms have more freedoms than others, and some are subjected to strictest scrutiny - and sometimes shut down - despite the preferences of their users. That's my perspective, which aligns with known facts.