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> We know exactly what happens because it's been attempted. When have we ever had a government-run social network before? And why aren't physical, offline publ

> We know exactly what happens because it's been attempted. When have we ever had a government-run social network before? And why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots?

pvg 4y ago
When have we ever had a government-run social network before? We've had many failed attempts at 'anything as long as it's not breaking a law' online spaces. why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots? Because we impose severe social costs on people for that sort of thing. The screaming bigots are only bold and screaming when they feel they can avoid them. An 'anything goes' pseudonymous online forum is effectively a gift to them and mostly them - most people prioritize other things in their online social spaces far above 'anything goes'.
ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago
> And why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots? They are, but only now and then. The reason is that, for most (not all) communities, there are only a few screaming bigots within easy reach of the town square, so their demonstrations often look like this[0]. With teh Internets tubes, you can gather together all those little groups of nutters, into one big nutball, so it looks like there's a lot more of them, per capita, than there actually are. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu-0HDBJHc8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu-0HDBJHc8
- bryanrasmussen 4y ago
  yeah aside from all that basically every community has regulations regarding disturbing the peace and needing approval for rallies etc. so anybody that got up on a soapbox in the middle of the park and started yelling slurs would probably be hauled away pretty quick.
Barrin92 4y ago
>And why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots? Because the security guards responsible for the event probably throw them out. If you behave like a crazy person at a public debate or gathering you'll probably get removed from the venue or delegated to the protest area with the other crazy people and their signs. If you're attenting a townhall, a community meeting, a church gathering or what have you you've always been expected to behave like a civilized human being, moderation is omnipresent in the good old offline world. This anthing goes mentality on the internet has no precedent.
- josephcsible 4y ago
  I don't mean those kinds of places. I mean places that are 100% truly public squares, where what they're doing is legally protected and they can't be kicked out.
  - krapp 4y ago
    Such places don't exist outside of the fever dreams of libertarians and minarchists. Governments have an interest in maintaining order and civil society even in public spaces, and the rule of law always applies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum_(legal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum_(legal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_in_the_United_States#Time.2C_place.2C_or_manner_restrictions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_in_the_Unite...

> We know exactly what happens because it's been attempted. When have we ever had a government-run social network before? And why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots?

pvg 4y ago

When have we ever had a government-run social network before? We've had many failed attempts at 'anything as long as it's not breaking a law' online spaces. why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots? Because we impose severe social costs on people for that sort of thing. The screaming bigots are only bold and screaming when they feel they can avoid them. An 'anything goes' pseudonymous online forum is effectively a gift to them and mostly them - most people prioritize other things in their online social spaces far above 'anything goes'.

ChrisMarshallNY 4y ago

> And why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots? They are, but only now and then. The reason is that, for most (not all) communities, there are only a few screaming bigots within easy reach of the town square, so their demonstrations often look like this[0]. With teh Internets tubes, you can gather together all those little groups of nutters, into one big nutball, so it looks like there's a lot more of them, per capita, than there actually are. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu-0HDBJHc8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu-0HDBJHc8

bryanrasmussen 4y ago
yeah aside from all that basically every community has regulations regarding disturbing the peace and needing approval for rallies etc. so anybody that got up on a soapbox in the middle of the park and started yelling slurs would probably be hauled away pretty quick.

Barrin92 4y ago

>And why aren't physical, offline public squares full of screaming bigots? Because the security guards responsible for the event probably throw them out. If you behave like a crazy person at a public debate or gathering you'll probably get removed from the venue or delegated to the protest area with the other crazy people and their signs. If you're attenting a townhall, a community meeting, a church gathering or what have you you've always been expected to behave like a civilized human being, moderation is omnipresent in the good old offline world. This anthing goes mentality on the internet has no precedent.

josephcsible 4y ago
I don't mean those kinds of places. I mean places that are 100% truly public squares, where what they're doing is legally protected and they can't be kicked out.
- krapp 4y ago
  Such places don't exist outside of the fever dreams of libertarians and minarchists. Governments have an interest in maintaining order and civil society even in public spaces, and the rule of law always applies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum_(legal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum_(legal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_in_the_United_States#Time.2C_place.2C_or_manner_restrictions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_in_the_Unite...