4 ms·

Can you elaborate for those of us reading? I looked up the meaning, and it seems to match. "the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through forc

Can you elaborate for those of us reading? I looked up the meaning, and it seems to match. "the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats." He's threatening advertisers so that they'll stay on the platform and continue to pay him. Why isn't that extortion?

Jerrrry 4y ago
"threatening" doing a lot of lifting here
- dorkwood 4y ago
  What constitutes a threat to you? "A thermonuclear name & shame is exactly what will happen if this continues." Saying you will publicly shame someone if they do something you don't want them to isn't a threat?
  - drcongo 4y ago
    Not if your tongue is glued to Musk's boots.
fallingknife 4y ago
To be extortion, the threatened action has to be illegal. Threats are allowed. Your boss saying "do X or I'll fire you" is not extortion.
- VikingCoder 4y ago
  How did you get that idea? > Remember, the word blackmail refers to a crime wherein the threat is a revelation of information, extortion refers to a crime wherein the threat is either physical, violent or an unfair use of power.
- D13Fd 4y ago
  > To be extortion, the threatened action has to be illegal. Generally no, that's not true. For example: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/18/00.039.023.000..HTM https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/18/00.039.02... "Theft by extortion. . . . if he intentionally obtains or withholds property of another by threatening to . . . expose any secret tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule"
- anigbrowl 4y ago
  Pedantry rarely wins arguments, especially outside courtrooms.