Posted on 08/07/2018 3:34:15 AM PDT by markomalley
Following the removal of Alex Jones from Facebook, Apple and YouTube, for violating “hate speech” policies, Democrat Senator Chris Murphy tweeted “Infowars is just the tip of a giant iceberg.”
Monday afternoon Murphy tweeted, “I know Facebook and Apple and YouTube have gotten so big they sometimes seem like the government. But they aren’t. They are private companies that shouldn’t knowingly spread lies and hate. They took a good first step today removing Infowars. Infowars is just the tip of the iceberg of hate and lies that uses sites like Facebook and Youtube to tear our nation apart. These companies must do more than take down one website. The survival of our democracy depends on it.”
Senator Murphy did not clarify just exactly who, or what outlets make up the rest of the “giant iceberg of hate and lies” — and many conservatives are leery where this may be going.
Earlier this year, Twitter announced it would start using an algorithm to crack down on “hate speech.” One of the key components of the algorithm would collapse abusive or potentially “low quality” tweets by detecting certain phrases and patterns. The algorithm would also tweak search results, to downgrade abusive tweets.
So far it appears that the new algorithm may be targeting conservatives. On Sunday, conservative commentator Candace Owens temporarily had her account suspended. Twitter later restored her account, claiming that it was an “error.” Last month, Vice News reported that several prominent Republican officials were not being featured in Twitter search results. This tactic has been referred to as “shadow banning.”
Twitter’s new algorithm has many conservatives leery where this may be going — their concern? Who gets to determine what constitutes hate speech?
FU Murphy - You anti-American POS!
God help us if these evil bastards get control of one or both houses. I hope the average voter out there understands what the hell is it stake.
“These companies must do more than take down one website. The survival of our democracy depends on it.”
How twisted is that?
Yes they are and they are going to get one and lose really badly.
I can find any number of equally offensive... yo u must be referring to Van Jones, Jim Acosta and that other butch chick on cnnn. and anyone on the view. lol
I’m surprised they haven’t outright banned Trump from Twitter citing his tweets as hate speech. Can you ban the POTUS?
“Info wars is banned on FR. Explain to me the difference between that and this.”
Based upon the argument I gave above, there is a big difference. FR does not, as far as I know, claimed to be and interactive Computer Service per the CDA.
Facebook claims to be an Interactive Computer Service the same law.
As a result, not only is Infowars banned from FR, many sources are banned. As are many comments.
On the other hand, Facebook makes the claim to be an Interactive Computer Service. In theory, they are merely the host for information created elsewhere. They claim to have exemption from the CDA as a result of this and have even been acknowledged as such by a court.
http://www.legaltxts.com/court-recognizes-facebook-as-an-interactive-computer-service/
With that designation, there is a responsibility to allow a much wider range of content. Not editorializing on what may and may not be posted.
That is the biggest difference between the two. FR is an internet content provider for the purposes of CDA, while Facebook is by Court decision and interactive Computer Service.
I still marvel at how Rush Limbaugh still supports and promotes Apple. When will he learn?
he didn't give a DemonRat's arse about Dan Ratherbiased and SeeBS News trying to steal the 2004 election with forged national guard memos.
Should George Norey's Coast to Coast Ghost to Ghost radio show also be banned?
Do tell, Senator. How many have you had to drink tonight?
Agreed, but we have a problem with definitions. You see, to me, most of the excrement posted seems to be lies and hate. If I go on most any social media site (with FR being the exception) and post my true opinion, I will be (have been) blasted by hate and vitriol. As for lies, links to virtually any MSM propaganda stories easily qualify.
There's a whole debate we could (and probably should) have about how much a social media site should self-censor vs being a platform for free expression. A big part of that debate isn't just to censor or not, or how much, but most importantly who gets to define terms and determine what gets censored. In this, most social media sites, like the news (aka leftist propaganda) sites, show incredible bias.
Infowars has been enticing many narcissistic, conspiracy-theory-gobbling Democrats over to vote Republican. It took me a long time to catch on to that. I had been wondering why some of the U.S.A.-friendly Brits thought Infowars was so funny. Now, it’s more obvious.
He was an easy target for a “test run” to judge reaction on the run-up to mid-terms and 2020. More will be coming.
What other search engines? There’s google and bing. That’s it. All these other search engines like duckduckgo, use google behind the scenes but do it without google tracking you.
I guess that's ok though ....
What’s scary here is the tech companies seem to be acting under pressure from Democrat members of government. The Democrats are essentially laundering their intent to shut down speech through these private companies. So we have the intersection of government and speech; it’s just sort of one step removed. It’s interesting that classical fascism relied on obedient businesses acting on behalf of the common good as defined by the government to carry out the will of the government. Just imagine what compliant sock puppets these companies would be if the Democrats had majorities.
Infowars will see an increase in traffic to their website now. Trying to shut down free speech just because you don’t like what someone says is a typical tactic of the left.
Although I am no fan, I hope Alex Jones sues.
define ‘lies’ and hate’m MurphyIdiot?
Many on the left would say the same thing about the owner of THIS website. You ok with that?
Then they came for me.
Based on the fact that seemingly no legal action is taken against anyone with a (D) after their name, I wouldn’t hold my breath that anything will happen to these companies.
The New York Times must be next.
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