Internet Speech Will Never Go Back to Normal In the debate over freedom versus control of the global network, China was largely correct, and the U.S. was wrong.

The Atlantic ^ | April 27, 2020. | Jack Goldsmith Andrew Keane Woods

[artichokegrower]

COVID-19 has emboldened American tech platforms to emerge from their defensive crouch. Before the pandemic, they were targets of public outrage over life under their dominion. Today, the platforms are proudly collaborating with one another, and following government guidance, to censor harmful information related to the coronavirus.

[artichokegrower]

In the great debate of the past two decades about freedom versus control of the network, China was largely right and the United States was largely wrong. Significant monitoring and speech control are inevitable components of a mature and flourishing internet, and governments must play a large role in these practices to ensure that the internet is compatible with a society’s norms and values.

One advantage to the corronavirus shut down of colleges and universities is that commie/fascists such as these do not have access to America's youth

[Fido969]

The definition of “Harmful information” will include anything our lords and masters don’t like.

[KarlInOhio]

Let's see how he feels about that when he is arrested and President Trump personally smashes the computers and printing press of the Atlantic. That would make free speech and press mature and flourishing.

[Skywise]

This tyranny will not stand.

[Williams]

The article is despotic filth the author is a danger to our society and the whole premise is borderline treason.

[OttawaFreeper]

These people are absolutely brutal. I wonder if they bothered to read Solzhenitsyn to find out about the real reality of “freedom versus control of the network”.

I also recall reading an interview with Lech Walesa and when asked about why the Soviet Bloc collapsed, he simply pointed to a television set (in explaining one important reason) and said how that changed a great many things. People behind the Iron Curtain got to watch Western TV shows from West Germany and saw the lifestyles there. In the world that these two authors suggest, there should have been Stalinesque controls on TV as well so as to help preserve the Berlin Wall and the communist governments east of that barrier.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Only professional affirmative action bureuacrats and educrats should be allowed to publicly comment on public policy.

Or privately, for that matter.

[dfwgator]

Rush - The Temples of Syrinx (From 2112)

We’ve taken care of everything
The words your read, the songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure to your eye

It’s one for all, none for one
We work together common sons
Never need to wonder how or why

We are the priests of the temples of Syrinx
Our great computers fill the hallowed halls
We are the priests of the temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life are held within our walls

Look around this world we’ve made
Equality our stock and trade
Come and join the brotherhood of man
Oh what a nice contented world
Let the banners be unfurled
Hold the Red Star proudly high in hand

We are the priests of the temples of Syrinx
Our great computers fill the hallowed halls
We are the priests of the temples of Syrinx
All the gifts of life are held within our walls

[JPJones]

“Today, the platforms are proudly collaborating with one another, and following government guidance, to censor harmful information related to the coronavirus.”

Wow. End of Republic.

[Flick Lives]

Significant monitoring and speech control are inevitable components of a mature and flourishing internet...

Wow. A textbook example of cognitive dissonance. Slavery is freedom.

[RedStateRocker]

All censorship is bad. Always.

[sport]

“Harmful” information is anything that does not follow the Governmental line. I.E. the truth. Telling the truth nowadays will get one in a hell ofa lot of trouble.

[paulcissa]

Anything from The Atlantic is not worth any of my time. Communist fish-wrap at best, bird cage liner at worst.

[petitfour]

Is this like the Fake News telling folks what they “need to know” whether it is true or not and not allowing any other opinions or facts to be spoken?

[Flick Lives]

As one might expect, The Atlantic does not permit the societal riffraff to comment on their articles. They have spoken. You peons shut up and obey.

I wonder how much the CCP paid “The Atlantic” for this article?

[tomkat]

.. and following government guidance, to censor harmful information related to the  coronavirus communist agenda.

Truth

[cuban leaf]

I was banned from two sites I’d been a member of for over a decade, not for violating the rules, but for saying things about this virus that “might cause people to act irresponsibly”.

On another site they just turned off my ability to respond inside CV19 threads.

The internet only offers free speech if you are on your own website. And even then you can be stopped if they pressure your provider enough.

This sort of stuff was already a concern for a lot of us before the virus. This thing just exposed it for what it is. Coupled with the financial crisis coming, this will not end well. And the end is months or years, not decades, away.

[Dr. Thorne]

The Atlantic just went from “Leaning Left” to “Communist Collaborator”.

[HighSierra5]

Boy. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

[21twelve]

Thanks for the ping.

While the song ends with defeat....

The REAL result was victory for their music and their voice. We will not be controlled.