Posted on 01/15/2021 4:57:52 AM PST by Bonemaker
Yesterday, we announced that we are closing comments at American Thinker. We immediately received a couple of hundred very unhappy, angry, and sometimes insulting emails about that decision. Without divulging why we made that decision, here are a few points to ponder.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
The tone is a bit odd in some parts but it’s clear why they’re closing down the comments section: leftists are combing through comment-sections right now looking for racist, sexist, xenophobic or Trump supporting posts to report to registrars, hosts, infrastructure providers to get sites like American Thinker shut down. It is, as the post said, either a choice of shutting down the comments or shutting down the website.
The Conservative Thinker also has new rules in place for their comment sections, as that was obviously used against them as well.
Read it over there; comment on it over here. Simple.
AT might have done well to give us a plug.
WTH, I invented a website. I meant “The Conservative Treehouse,” not the Conservative Thinker.
When the commenters get redpilled, the masters get scared.
If we (our side) had someone with billions, like Soros, as a sugar daddy, we could hire a team of pre-screeners to weed out threatening and leftist comments, before they were even posted.
Without that, the people who monitor us now have the power (because we let them) to bring us down due just to comments, even if those comments were posted by a Leftist, posing as a ‘conservative’.
Twitter, facebook, and the other anti freedom of speech big tech companies are using some form of "we feel responsible for our impact" BS as justification for what is really politically motivated censorship. They are trying to have it both ways - no actual legal responsibility while claiming a social responsibility.
The threat then is, any other social media platform must take similar measures else be tarred with the same brush as the most radical elements (real or imagined) using their service. It doesn't even matter if that social media platform caves or stands firm. Other supporting "woke" (aka anti freedom of speech) entities will assist in the take-down. We just saw this happen to Parler and it remains to be seen if it is a permanent take down or merely a temporary inconvenience.
No doubt other online entities are or soon will be targets of the anti free speech fascists: right here at FR; maybe NewsMax; maybe MeWe; etc. Those who would control the flow of information really don't want competition or off-message information getting out. Just consider, AOC wants her "truth commission" or whatever to "rein in" the press. Sounds a lot like the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment. Heir Goebbels would feel right at home with her.
Web Hosting Provider; Amazon
Never seen a site with so many "reseller" and "marketing" technologies. Loaded with google this and google that as well.
Ditch all that stuff, get different web hosting, use an open source Content Management System with a robust commenting system so you can block any word or phrases you want. Set it up so that the first time someone comments, it's held in moderation. Make it so people have to register. That way you can also filter out certain free email domains like hotmail.
It's not binary. It's fear and laziness and also not being too bright with your choices of web technology.
They have bent the knee.
Now go suck on it you traitors.
Much of FR is just republished American Thinker articles. Pretty lame content.
Yeah...
Just what I wanted to see to start my day — getting another lecture from an owner about me bein two dumb to unnerstan da big piksure an jus enjoy what da party tells me to lick...
I think I am about done with dealing with any more owners than I am forced to.
Don’t be too hard on Lifson. That tells me that he was warned (“or else” or insider tip). His site must be hosted elsewhere and he’s vulnerable to be “Parlered.”
I expect that the facts will bear out after he’s able to switch where he’s hosted.
“American Thinker’s website is there to provide them a platform to get their content out.”
That’s fine. Then they should have never allowed comments to begin with. Why the change now?
“Mainstream news and liberal websites cut off comments several years ago”
Yahoo cut comments off a few months before the election. Sad that American “Thinker” is a follower now.
bump
We already know. YOU WERE TOLD TO SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!
And like good little lemmings, you did exactly that.
Easy to talk tough when you’re not the one on the line.
According to GAB CEO, GAB’s Dissenter browser has a “free speech” option. You can comment on an article and see the comments of other GAB Dissenter users.
There are a lot of knuckleheads out there. They speak of killing people, blowing stuff up, and all sorts of stupid things.
I understand the emotion.
But I don’t agree that posting those comments on an open forum are ever a good idea. If you are serious about doing those things, posting a comment is a good record of intent—which means you can be convicted of conspiracy when/if you actually do it. That is stupid.
If you are looking for like-minded people to work together to do that, you are not going to find them on open forums or “comment” sections on lame blog-centered web sites.
To find the militias and other hard core, dead-enders, learn how to use TOR and go to the dark web. It is safer for you and for those who host public web sites.
People like Jim Robinson are going to come under all sorts of hell for some of the silly things people post. I think we all need to keep it sane, in order to keep it alive.
“What I perceive is going on is that Antifa types have been spending a LOT of time and energy as Agent Provocateurs on conservative sites, posting comments that are over the line, and baiting others to join them, exactly as they did at the Capitol protest.”
I have not followed comments on the AT site, but I think you are likely very perceptive in what has happened. I will say that I have enjoyed many of Ms. Widburg’s columns.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.