Posted on 01/11/2021 6:39:49 AM PST by karpov
Can right-wing populist sentiment be banished from American life by the brute force of social-media censorship? We’re about to find out. After Wednesday’s mob invasion of the Capitol that disrupted the counting of electoral votes, big tech firms have moved, aggressively and in unison, against Donald Trump and his supporters. The companies say they want to marginalize the violent fringe, but their censorship will grow it instead.
On Thursday and Friday came the Facebook and Twitter bans of Mr. Trump. Given the extraordinary circumstances, some commentators who normally oppose web censorship were untroubled.
An exception who deserves to be listened to is Alexei Navalny, the Russian democracy advocate and scourge of Vladimir Putin who was poisoned last year. He pointed out that, unlike the open election process that ousted Mr. Trump, social-media decisions to de-platform elected officials are unaccountable and arbitrary. “Don’t tell me he was banned for violating Twitter rules. I get death threats here every day for many years, and Twitter doesn’t ban anyone,” Mr. Navalny tweeted.
He added that while Twitter is a private company, “we have seen many examples in Russian and China of such private companies becoming the state’s best friends and enablers when it comes to censorship.”
Then the tech giants moved against Parler, Twitter’s free-speech competitor that is a haven for Trump supporters as well as more extreme figures. Google and Apple indefinitely booted Parler from their app stores over the weekend, crippling its viability on mobile phones. Then Amazon went for the kill, announcing that on Sunday it would withdraw its cloud service that Parler relies on to store data.
The stampeding tech giants say Parler hosts material that encourages violence. Though Parler has a policy against incitement, Apple pointed to recent violent posts the site didn’t take down.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Tech will falter. It needs conservatives. This is about them pretending they have power over trump. They do not
They’re counting on the anger to be restricted to a relatively small number. And, they’re counting on the totalitarian nature of the Democrats to keep those who are angered in line.
Sold my Apple stock I realise it will rebound there is a lot of money in the market if Apple remains very profitable but I will not invest in it any further.
If you purchased something from Apple for Christmas and can still return it within their 30 day return policy consider doing so please.
I admit that I didn’t cancel Amazon yet but this is happening very quickly and I definitely am planning on it.
Twitter was deleted.
This will only work if conservative get out and stay out for extended period of time period from all of these platforms.
There is a lot of money in this economy and a lot of money in conservative hands if we really boycott alternate means of communication will arise that’s how the economy works. Businesses which currently look like no one can compete with them will face real competition if we insist on it.
I believe this will eventually become a Solidarity-like movement with people across all political persuasions who are appalled at what is going on. A true liberal (not the kind that uses the term, to conceal their Fascist leanings), should be outraged.
Do liberals need conservatives? We’re about to find out.
It’s definitely a Soviet style purge. It’s what they do.
Last paragraph...”Whatever the GOP’s future, and despite widespread revulsion at the President’s actions last week, tens of millions of his supporters will be the basis for that opposition party. New and aggressive uses of corporate, politically endorsed power to silence larger swathes of the right will be destructive in a way that all Americans may live to regret.”
Revulsion? ??? These people really don’t want to get it
Keep them in line how? If the fascist's try to pull some brown shirt crap, the Kraken will be unleashed.
The question becomes when conservative companies ban Libs. These Lib companies are setting a standard that it is ok to ban someone, so the Libs will not have method to fight the banning.
It is how it manifests that counts.
Going on offense isn't likely.
But waiting until the wolf is at your door is a poor defense.
Liberals need conservatives? They want us to keep paying the taxes while they try to deny our leadership choices?
Of course they need us. Look at how quiet they are.
Yes they most certainly do. It’s conservatives who have to get used to winning. Get used to it.
Unload your stock .... others are doing it anyway and they’re losing value, so at least get some money out of it.
I think a lot of true liberals are probably already outraged, but they’re afraid because they’ve seen up close what happens to people who commit thought-crimes.
But possibly if there are enough other angry people out there, some of them will get up the courage to come out of hiding and join us.
As the late, great Janis Joplin sang, “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”
Bullying tends to PO some folks to a breaking point. Of course when that breaking point happens guess who the “unreasonable” persons will be? Could have sworn there was a big push between ‘08 and ‘16 to crush bullying by a certain administration with beer summits and pleasant tete a tetes. No?
“ The question becomes when conservative companies ban Libs. These Lib companies are setting a standard that it is ok to ban someone, so the Libs will not have method to fight the banning.”
No. Conservatives go by the rules. That’s how we win. Same as how Jim runs his website here. No ones shutting it down. We trust the constitution. Trump won. They’re going to have to get used to it. The question is will conservatives stop acting like losers and just withstand the slings and arrows with the patience of knowing it will wimpier out.
You damn right it has
The left shows it Has to steal election also like it did in Georgia so sick of these bastards
Voter fraud was obvious from the get-go
It amazes me that tech companies believe that calling 50% of their customers deplorable terrorists is a good market strategy.
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