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Religious groups have certainly been responsible for chilling _some_ content in modern times, but they are far from the biggest threat. The biggest threat is t

Religious groups have certainly been responsible for chilling _some_ content in modern times, but they are far from the biggest threat. The biggest threat is that only a handful of companies operate most of the Internet now and they want it to have all the diversity and culture of a suburban shopping mall.

xbar 4y ago
Religious content bans happen all the time. Consider the ban of Lightyear in 14 countries last week. Also, it has never been easier to form geographically dispersed but aligned cultural groups. I don't know which Internet operators you are talking about, but mine does not give a crap about the culture of the content I consume--only the ability to sell me ads about it.
- Ironlikebike 4y ago
  Just because they don't broadcast that they're doing it doesn't mean it's not happening. I think companies embrace moral relativism and attempt to stay within the Overton Window (or at most dabble near the edges). It's a survival necessity because their own profitability will suffer if they are found to facilitate content that is outside of that window. The Overton Window does drift, which explains how content can suddenly become objectionable in a matter of months.
- oarsinsync 4y ago
  UK cellular network operators by default enforce an ‘adult content filter’, and require you to provide proof of being over 18 to get this removed (typically in the form of a credit card number as an identifier, not as a mechanism to be charged). These content filters block large swaths of the internet. Urban Dictionary is the one that trips me up every time I change networks. LGBTQIA+ related content has typically gotten caught up in this as well. You’re lucky if your Internet operator does not care. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of places where censorship is rampant, under the guise of just “think of the children.”
wrycoder 4y ago
I don’t think their remark is limited to conventional religions. Zealot is the key word. People who are enthusiastically intolerant.
Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago
But why do companies want things so bland? It's because of the very vocal religious communities.

xbar 4y ago

Religious content bans happen all the time. Consider the ban of Lightyear in 14 countries last week. Also, it has never been easier to form geographically dispersed but aligned cultural groups. I don't know which Internet operators you are talking about, but mine does not give a crap about the culture of the content I consume--only the ability to sell me ads about it.

Ironlikebike 4y ago
Just because they don't broadcast that they're doing it doesn't mean it's not happening. I think companies embrace moral relativism and attempt to stay within the Overton Window (or at most dabble near the edges). It's a survival necessity because their own profitability will suffer if they are found to facilitate content that is outside of that window. The Overton Window does drift, which explains how content can suddenly become objectionable in a matter of months.
oarsinsync 4y ago
UK cellular network operators by default enforce an ‘adult content filter’, and require you to provide proof of being over 18 to get this removed (typically in the form of a credit card number as an identifier, not as a mechanism to be charged). These content filters block large swaths of the internet. Urban Dictionary is the one that trips me up every time I change networks. LGBTQIA+ related content has typically gotten caught up in this as well. You’re lucky if your Internet operator does not care. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of places where censorship is rampant, under the guise of just “think of the children.”

wrycoder 4y ago

I don’t think their remark is limited to conventional religions. Zealot is the key word. People who are enthusiastically intolerant.

Eddy_Viscosity2 4y ago

But why do companies want things so bland? It's because of the very vocal religious communities.