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Online Speech Threatened by Social Media Censorship, Experts Say
The Epoch Times ^ | May 21, 2020 | BOWEN XIAO

Posted on 05/21/2020 7:25:49 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

A surge in topics being moderated and censored by social media companies is causing alarm among some experts who say we’re moving rapidly toward losing our online freedoms.

Most recently, platforms have started moderating CCP virus-related content they deem to be misinformation. YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said the platform would be “removing information that is problematic” including “anything that goes against World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.”

Mark Grabowski, an associate professor specializing in cyber law and digital ethics at Adelphi University, said there’s a double standard when it comes to online speech, in particular with virus-related topics, as of late.

“In some cases, the [virus] content was produced by authoritative sources like physicians, professors, and epidemiologists,” he told The Epoch Times. “Meanwhile, these same platforms are promoting highly speculative opinions by people who are completely unqualified to speak on the topic.”

Twitter recently highlighted a news story about Melinda Gates stating governors were opening states too early. “She’s not an expert on this matter; she has an MBA,” Grabowski said.

(Excerpt) Read more at theepochtimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: citizensovereignty; essentialbusinesses; essentialworkers; facebook; freespeech; internet; mutinyonthebounty; technotyranny

1 posted on 05/21/2020 7:25:49 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: All

This qualifies for a NSS award.

(no shit Sherlock)


2 posted on 05/21/2020 7:29:22 PM PDT by Peter ODonnell (Pray for health, economic recovery, and justice.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Threatened??? Censorship??? I was kicked off Facebook permanently because they didn’t like what I was saying.


3 posted on 05/21/2020 7:29:35 PM PDT by Savage Beast (President Trump, praying for guidance, giving his salary to charity, is on the Side of the Angels.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

hey need “experts” to tell them that?


4 posted on 05/21/2020 7:30:14 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: Savage Beast
Threatened??? Censorship??? I was kicked off Facebook permanently because they didn’t like what I was saying.

According to some FReepers, when a site gets too big its property rights disappear.

5 posted on 05/21/2020 7:35:50 PM PDT by NobleFree ("law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual")
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To: NobleFree

Some cannot think critically.


6 posted on 05/21/2020 7:38:16 PM PDT by coaster123 (Virus = First Plane Strikes Tower)
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To: NobleFree

No, their private property rights were curtailed when they got started with government cash, and got a special government protection from litigation in exchange for them being a neutral channel rather than a content editor.


7 posted on 05/21/2020 9:07:37 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: DesertRhino
No, their private property rights were curtailed when they got started with government cash,

Was that an agreement they signed in exchange for the cash? Or does every business owner who got started with e.g. SBA assistance have curtailed property rights?

and got a special government protection from litigation in exchange for them being a neutral channel rather than a content editor.

If that's section 230 of the CDA you're referring to, it explicitly permits a provider to restrict any material they consider to be objectionable.

8 posted on 05/22/2020 5:28:40 AM PDT by NobleFree ("law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual")
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To: NobleFree
"when a site gets too big its property rights disappear"

I certainly agree. For example, Facebook has become a major communications system, like a telephone company. It should have no more authority to censor communication than a telephone company.

9 posted on 05/22/2020 6:20:42 AM PDT by Savage Beast (President Trump, praying for guidance, giving his salary to charity, is on the Side of the Angels.)
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To: Savage Beast
In the case of the phone company, the physical disruption of laying multiple phone line grids was something we decided we wanted to avoid. No such physical disruption is required for new social media platforms.
10 posted on 05/22/2020 2:28:55 PM PDT by NobleFree ("law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual")
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