Posted on 01/20/2021 7:49:31 AM PST by Kaslin
As the new Biden-Harris administration assumes power, the most basic American freedom of speech and expression is under unprecedented threat.
For the first time ever, I am concerned about my freedom to do my work, to run a policy institute addressing issues of culture, race and poverty from a conservative perspective.
Technology -- the internet -- which was largely nonexistent just 25 years ago, now plays a huge role in our lives as a tool of communication.
In a survey just published by the Pew Research Center, 86% say they "often" or "sometimes" get their news from a digital device -- smartphone, tablet or computer. This compared with 68% who say they "often" or "sometimes" get their news from television, 50% who get it from radio and 32% who get it from print publications.
According to Statista.com, the United States has 223 million Facebook users, almost the size of the entire U.S. population over age 18. Per Pew, 22% of U.S. adults use Twitter.
These developments have put enormous power at the disposal of technology firms over what we see and read.
Power alone doesn't worry me. Exclusive power, power to control, does.
The decision by Twitter to kick the president of the United States off of Twitter, disconnecting him from the 89 million who follow him, is mind-boggling.
President Trump has noted, with total legitimacy, that he turned to social media as his platform of preference to communicate with the country because of widespread bias in the mainstream media.
What gives the technology companies so much discretion over communication, the oxygen of our free country?
This comes from a provision of the 1996 Communications Decency Act that was passed to set the ground rules for the powerful new technologies that were emerging. Technology companies are protected from liability for the content they carry: The liability exists with whomever provided that content. But they were also given discretion over what they choose to carry.
The discretion part comes from logic that the operators of these platforms should be able to refuse truly inflammatory, dangerous content. But what about content that is normally protected by the First Amendment?
Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, appointed himself judge and jury, deciding that President Trump incited the assault on the Capitol building and banning the president from Twitter for life.
We know that President Trump's own words were that the demonstration on Capitol Hill should be "peaceful." The point is, if Donald Trump broke the law, this should be determined through legal channels, not by the subjective decision of a businessperson with a net worth of some $12 billion accrued because of American freedom.
I produce a weekly television talk show, "CURE America with Star Parker." The show was booted off Vimeo because the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center identifies one of our Christian advertisers as a hate group and one pastor said that homosexuality is a sin.
Now quoting the Bible, expressing views of a believing Christian, is out of bounds -- banned from the nation's major media platforms?
We must recognize that our nation's most precious commodity, our freedom to speak, to act and to assemble, is seriously being threatened.
Because those controlling these technology companies disproportionately have political sympathies to the left, it is the freedom of conservatives that is most seriously under siege.
Fortunately, many are now concerned.
The argument is made that First Amendment speech protections only pertain to government action, not private companies. But technology has enabled a concentration of private power not previously imagined.
The Communications Decency Act could be amended such that speech on technology platforms receives the same protections as all speech protected by the First Amendment.
Another possibility would be to amend the Civil Rights Act to include those with religious conviction based on teachings of Judaism and Christianity as a protected class.
Conservatives must push for new law and new platforms.
not “slipping away” it’s being taken away and we’re letting it be taken.
I noticed, around 1990, that the only people that have REL freedom of speech are those that don’t need a job or a means to make a living.
But now it’s far worse than it was then. In 1990, nobody was being fired for something they posted or tweeted while at home and in their personal time.
Doxing of all forms is in its infancy. It will get much worse. Fortunately for me, at least, I can retire at will. But I feel for those under 40. They are in a world where freedom of speech and thought are but subjects for the history books - the ones that have not yet been re-edited.
The author will only lose his free speech if he stops exercising it.
Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.
But I believe the best definition of what freedom really is came from Pope John Paul II...
“Surely it is important for America that the moral truths which make freedom possible should be passed on to each new generation. Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.”
Free speech is with the federal government. So far that’s been untouched. Private companies have taken it upon themselves to dictate speech which is unfortunately allowed by the founders.
And this is going on during trumps administration. Why’s he letting it? Strange.
We need to Defund the Left - vote with you wallets (see new tag line)
It’s dead, Jim.
And the gold fringes are back on the flags.☹
Yesterday on the crawler at the bottom of the page on Newsmax TV, they were running the story that CNN wants to shut down Newsmax TV as bad for America. They want it crushed. It is about the only freedom loving station left now that FOX went far left. I fear for all conservative and Christian Internet sites. They will soon say they are bad for America and will seek to take them off the Net now that they control everything. Radio, like Rush, will be outlawed. Christian TV will be banned. Conservative voice on TV and radio will be shut down. We will be back to letters and telephone to send out info. Even email will be checked.
Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.
And remember your iPhone records all conversation, even when it’s not being used for a phone call. Ever noticed how you can have a conversation in a room with another person, and discuss something like a refrigerator or leather boots, and within a short time you start receiving advertisements for refrigerators and leather boots?
Loose lips sink ships! It true again!!
Agree.
This is Dump Day. Dump them all. Big media, big tech, big business. They are all fighting to destroy your freedom. Punch back.
If enough people defund them, they will back off
It already does.
Problem solved.
A big if. I wonder how many Freepers are voting with their wallets. Would love to see a survey.
Our enemies think the serfs will just go back to sleep...like they always do. Then business as usual(corruption/greed). Rumor has it the cuck-servative RINO’s had met with Biden right after the steal and told him as much. What a sham, all politics is Kabuki. Trust no one...especially these cretins.
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.