Elon, you have no idea what the hell you’re talking about

Techcrunch ^ | April 26, 2022 | Devin Coldewey

[hadit2here]

Elon Musk is embarrassing himself on the global stage again by proudly bruiting a grade-school level of familiarity with the immensely complex concepts of free speech, censorship, rights and privileges of individuals and government authorities. The fact that this aggressively ignorant person is likely to take over one of the largest communication platforms on Earth should scare the shit out of you.

Here is what the richest man in the world said earlier today, on the platform he intends to acquire:

By ‘free speech,’ I simply mean that which matches the law. I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law. If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect. Therefore, going beyond the law is contrary to the will of the people.

Elon’s got one thing going for him. He has demonstrated an apparently innate facility to pack more willful and privileged ignorance into a single sentence than almost anyone on the planet.

These statements are so fundamentally wrong — factually, ethically, practically, and in every other way, that I hardly know where to begin.

For one thing, he might want to look at the most elementary descriptions of what constitutes free speech and censorship. Censorship is when state authorities limit the speech of the people under their power. Free speech is the guarantee that no action defined as speech is illegal outside a few harmful examples, like harassment, hate speech and other special cases (under constant negotiation) that we as a society have decided constitute or exacerbate crimes.

[windsorknot]

Elon’s got one thing going for him.

More than one actually, but Devin is still searching to be relevant.

[fuzzylogic]

I’ve made this argument here on FR. Any “virtual free PUBLIC space” should be required to allow the same free speech rules as any “physical free PUBLIC space”.

[Walrus]

Speaking of embarrassing oneself, Devin…

[Dr. Sivana]

Musk was basically saying the level of speech regulation in social media should mirror that of First Amendment legal protections. They're obviously not controlled by the same legal rules, but they can still be guided by the same moral principles.

ESPECIALLY if the company wants to claim that they cannot be sued for being a mere conveyance of information, like the phone company.

[Fresh Wind]

I know someone who looks very much like Devin, and he's the biggest douchebag on the planet. They seem to have a lot in common.

[DiogenesLamp]

I know someone who looks very much like Devin, and he's the biggest douchebag on the planet. They seem to have a lot in common.

I've heard it is a "soy boy" look. Effeminate males who don't measure up to actual men.

The make up for it by being a lot more lippy than a man would be unless he wants to get his @$$ beat.

[DiogenesLamp]

I’ve made this argument here on FR. Any “virtual free PUBLIC space” should be required to allow the same free speech rules as any “physical free PUBLIC space”.

A lot of us have brother.

[Chode]

said the POS i’ve never heard of...

[joe fonebone]

First mistake...
Hate speech IS protected by the first amendment.

I didn’t have to read any further than that

[Celerity]

“grade-school level of familiarity with the immensely complex concepts of free speech, censorship, rights and privileges of individuals and government authorities. “

Ummmm.... Isn’t this sort of thing exactly what’s taught in grade school?

I mean, I understood it in grade school. Anyone else ?

[BereanBrain]

what is complicated about free speech?

I say we shut down TechCrunch and suddenly they will think the first amendment is “simple”

[lurk]

Too many adjectives. He’s lying.

[fella]

Free Speech ain’t no Rocket Surgery ya either got it or you don’t.

[DoughtyOne]

Between Elon and Devin, one of them certainly doesn’t.

It’s not Elon.

[hadit2here]

“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
— William F. Buckley Jr.

“Shocked! Shocked I tell you!”

[hadit2here]

You’re being WAYYYYY too generous!

[sauropod]

.

[GingisK]

...immensely complex concepts of free speech...

Wow!

[Colorado Doug]

Devin who? Never heard of him

[TalBlack]

“…with the immensely complex concepts of free speech,“…

Yes, only elites are capable of understanding free speech. This isn’t delusion, it’s Evil. Period.