Posted on 08/09/2018 10:14:52 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
This is a dangerous precedent that can be used against any ideology, left or right
Across the board in what appears to be a highly-coordinated effort to silence the message behind Infowars and Alex Jones, most major social media, backbone utilities associated with our web site and video platforms have launched unprecedented account bans and suspensions on virtually all of our channels.
Regardless of what you think of me, and what you have heard indirectly through third-party sources, you are clearly witnessing a 21st century purge of an ideology.
And even if you don’t agree with our message that everyone should exercise their right to question the status quo, you should be very concerned about what’s happening.
Because this ideology that is now under attack is the same ideology that played a pivotal role in founding this great nation: challenging the establishment systems with independent ideas that encourage new debates and discussions.
For more than a year, we have witnessed the mainstream news media and Democratic groups tell us that the manipulation of social media could turn an election.
By their own admission, social media would be the most viable option to alter the course of the nation, influence millions of people, and shut down free speech and personal expression that questions the status quo.
We have been told that one of the greatest threats to our democracy is the manipulation of the information that we receive on social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Now, these same groups that have been telling us that free speech must be defended against those who seek to control it on our news feeds, have launched a full-scale war on the free speech and information that they disagree with.
There is no question that large social media companies have become the nation’s premiere source of information, referring hundreds of millions to news and information.
Although these groups are private entities, their scale has achieved them a monopoly on the free flow of information.
Much like the FCC rules that the airwaves and cable should be equally accessible to all in the public trust, these modes of communication should be equally open to the same access, and not subject to control by those who may choose to disagree with the information itself. Is a different opinion enough to silence an entire ideology?
I do not claim to always be right. But the accusations leveled at me are distortions of the truth and have been used systematically to impeach my character.
But this coordinated action by the establishment to silence me has only awakened a new resolve in those who now see more clearly than ever how the establishment systems will go to any length to shut down free speech and information that questions the status quo.
This is a turning point for our nation. Will you rally behind the principles of free speech, or will you concede to having your ability to access new ideas and information restricted and controlled by those who believe you cannot think for yourself?
If we allow this level of censorship to continue, how long before it becomes normalized?
How long before it’s not Alex Jones and Infowars being shut down on major platforms, but any ideology that disagrees with the establishment status quo? We must rally behind the principles that founded this great nation, and not allow deep censorship to become normalized and accepted.
Our long-standing general policy about no profanity, no personal attacks, no violence, no racism, etc, still stands. Alex Jones/infowars restrictions were in place on FR due to his 9/11 type conspiracy theories which we still do not want on FR.
Companies conspiring to deny access to the tools of business or to try to drive someone else out of business violates antitrust laws. He ought to sue for about $1 billion.
First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
~ Pastor Martin Niemöller - 1947
While it is crappy to deny him a platform, if he isn’t the owner of the service, the owner can refuse to post the stuff. Of course letting calypso Louie still use the platform says a lot about them. Typical intolerant one way street syndrome. Thanks Jim.
We’ll be next.
If the Deep State get away with silencing Alex Jones they will not stop there. They will come for all trump supporters next.
The line must be drawn HERE . And the Deep State told NO FURTHER!
If they create successful precedent for silencing those who ask difficult questions - we are all al risk
Good move; controlling social media and shadow banning or outright banning of conservatives is obviously a major front opened by the Left against the rest of us.
“They will come for all trump supporters next.”
You are absolutely correct! They are call us mentally ill. I’d imagine Christians are high on the chopping block too. Anyone that would speak ill-favored of same-sex relations or abortions....
And so it begins....
There is a war on for our minds. Much as Alex goes off the charts bat***t nuts on his overwhelming rants he sure knows how to run a show.
AJ’s popularity is rising.
The best way to get a book read by many is to ban it.
The EU sued Intel, Microsoft and Google for far, far less.
He would have a good chance of winning.
FB and Google have put themselves in a dangerous position and the only way out is getting the RATS running the country again.
Bump!
“While it is crappy to deny him a platform, if he isn’t the owner of the service, the owner can refuse to post the stuff. “
The argument Jones makes is that social media has grown to the point it is the medium for a free flow of information and therefore has reached a monopoly level of size and should be regulated like radio and TV.
Just imagine if ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN MSNBC silenced dissenting points of view from the narrative they present.
(do I really have to do a /s on the 2nd paragraph?)
Good point, but:
A Power Company is a private company should they turn off my power because of my free speech? I uses their service to power my computers.
Can AT&T turn off my phones because of my free speech?
Maybe we need to drop Facebook! Thinking about starting my own family website to communicate events and etc.
I just quit LinkedIn, an easy one to drop.
Very happy Free Republic has it’s own forum.
Good decision, Jim. Alex Jones is a wingnut, but it doesn’t take long to figure that out. He is easily ignored and if this attack on him is successful, Free Republic will certainly be attacked by these sanctimonious Lefties.
They believe that Jones helped Trump win, and he makes things go viral. That is why he is being banned.
I agree this is crappy but what is the remedy?
We all want you to still have the right to ban or delete content from your site.
How can you keep FB from banning Jones but still allow Robinson to ban semimojo?
Thank you sir. I have never been a fan of him but what is happening to him can happen to any of us on the right.
BTTT
Thank you Jim for lifting the restrictions on links to non-911 InfoWars and Alex Jones. He has always been right about the very thing he has now fallen victim to, Deep State media censorship of any ideology that threatens their war against us!
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