> holding their patrons accountable for their words. I don't think you have thought beyond the short-term on this one. It starts out, just like in corporations

> holding their patrons accountable for their words. I don't think you have thought beyond the short-term on this one. It starts out, just like in corporations and other places in life, as a good thing. Get the racists out, get the sexists out, whatever. You could even argue $PLACE is better because of it. I think most people would. The problem is that this isn't the community pushing people out. Meaning, the offender could clean up their act, go somewhere else, and start "fresh". The community can dispense a measured amount of justice (banning from a server/pub/etc) without irreparably damaging someone's life/money/fun. Maybe you just had a really shit day, or you're upset in general about something, and lose your cool online. Now you're banned from a game/pub/etc because The Rules (TM) prescribe a severe punishment for such an infraction. Community enforcement is local and corporation enforcement is global. There is a stark difference. With a "benevolent" corporation policing speech you end up getting a chilling effect everywhere. It goes from just banning the bad guys to criticism of the company, the political party, the $X is now policed. Suddenly, no one wants to talk anymore. That is, unless they're all smiles for the camera. There are a few games I know of where the mods are so happy to ban people (for even criticizing the company or telling people not to play) that NO ONE talks. They form their own discords for their friends and that's it. Wow, how fun! People like me who have no interest in throwing around slurs anywhere will just go somewhere else. When people are suddenly saccharin due to fear it's even less fun than when someone is throwing a hissy-fit. Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences, certainly. Private establishments can police them how they want. That doesnt mean it's a good or that we should ignore a trend.