The problem is that people don’t understand or appreciate freedom of speech until it is gone. If X is taken down, do you really think Substack is immune to the same treatment?
The problem is that people don’t understand or appreciate freedom of speech until it is gone. If X is taken down, do you really think Substack is immune to the same treatment?
The problem I have with X is that it is this one tool that everyone uses. Essentially, it is the single point of failure for free speech. If X has a monopoly on free speech, then yes, this will be a huge vulnerability to free speech.
Maybe substack is a bad example because it is also an individual company. But the point is: If people just use their individual websites and blogs, then no one can take those down. There are so many different ways in which people can express their views and opinions on the internet. If we took advantage of those, then we wouldn't have to worry about X.
I just think it is inappropriate to call X "free". It is a closed for-profit company with opaque algorithms that amplify specific messages. It is not a haven for well-researched facts and reflective thought that people seem to think it is.
what do you mean, that X is the only public "free" speech platform in the world? instgram, facebook (both stifled free speech at the behest of the Biden admin), tiktok (owned by the Chinese who control the outputs), Parler that was effectively shut down by Amazon, at the behest of the Biden admin.
X is essentially taking on the government censorship, by allowing virtually any view to appear , as are many others.
Then you have Rumble who is still very open and honest. Spotify with Joe Rogan.
AS you say, we have hundreds if not thousands of online forums folks can choose from to get their "news" , but they all have to have a platform in which to distribute their views. The platform is the key. Biden and Brazil and other supposedly developed countries are working to limit or shutdown those platforms, Brazil and X for example.
France and the dude they just arrested for vague and unspecific charges that may result in his platform being shutdown.
Musk is working very hard to keep his platform open and available.
The X theory here is a false flag to me. Keep up the good work Elon!!
Agree...Zuckerberg recently admitted to caving to government pressure to suppress information. Like it or not X is the only truly free spech platform right now.
I agree with what you say and understand why you are worried. But I disagree with your solutions.
I think the underlying problem is the reliance on platforms. As long as we rely on big platforms for communication, then we will always be vulnerable. Vulnerable to censorship by the platform and vulnerable to someone shutting off the platform.
On the other hand, there is no way anyone could stop you from hosting your own website and saying whatever you want to say. In that sense there is always free speech and it is impossible to keep you from what you want to say.
What the big platforms do is not enabling free speech (that is possible in many ways as I said) it is amplifying certain forms of speech. And I think this is really the question that people argue about. It is not: what are we allowed to say? But what type of speech should be amplified to billions of people?
full disclosure, I dont publish anything, just off and on comments re stories of interest on TFP, Daily Wire etc.
I feel you are confused though. To get your "message" out there, on your own website, you must use a platform. I have gmail. IF gmail (google) were pressured by the admin, or other countries governments to limit "misinformation, hate speech, etc", then they can easily turn off those messages. Thus limiting free speech. You can see folks who post on Youtube. Same thing applies, if Youtube is pressured, they can easily reduce ones exposure to the world.
I dont see X doing this , or doing this to any degree. The typical "inciting violence" , or "threatening someones life" on line, exceptions are minimal on X.
I feel Musk has stood his ground on what he is pressured to limit.
I think of Fuckerburg and Meta, who now admits to caving to government pressure and FBI "threats" and actively sensored and limited exposure to election issues, serious covid concerns etc. I feel he did this because he wants to be out in front of the fallout that is coming from all the government sensorship and curtailment of free speech the past 8+ years. Think about it, none of this occurred prior to Trump running for president in 2015-2016. Suddenly, we need to ensure our "democracy is secure", and people only see "fair and balanced news". What a croc of shit.
The other thing I don't get about X is: X/Twitter exists for about 10 years. So, if X is indeed essential for free speech and democracy, how could society ever evolve before X was invented? How is it that people put so much faith in X, when society has come so far before X was invented?
Respectfully the news media is not he same as your parents. Journalism is dead in regards to the national news media that is why people are turning to platforms like X, Podcasts and other outlets that don't restrict opinions, stories or suppress information.
The problem is that people don’t understand or appreciate freedom of speech until it is gone. If X is taken down, do you really think Substack is immune to the same treatment?
The problem I have with X is that it is this one tool that everyone uses. Essentially, it is the single point of failure for free speech. If X has a monopoly on free speech, then yes, this will be a huge vulnerability to free speech.
Maybe substack is a bad example because it is also an individual company. But the point is: If people just use their individual websites and blogs, then no one can take those down. There are so many different ways in which people can express their views and opinions on the internet. If we took advantage of those, then we wouldn't have to worry about X.
I just think it is inappropriate to call X "free". It is a closed for-profit company with opaque algorithms that amplify specific messages. It is not a haven for well-researched facts and reflective thought that people seem to think it is.
X is to free speech what pornhub is to free love.
uh Felix
what do you mean, that X is the only public "free" speech platform in the world? instgram, facebook (both stifled free speech at the behest of the Biden admin), tiktok (owned by the Chinese who control the outputs), Parler that was effectively shut down by Amazon, at the behest of the Biden admin.
X is essentially taking on the government censorship, by allowing virtually any view to appear , as are many others.
Then you have Rumble who is still very open and honest. Spotify with Joe Rogan.
AS you say, we have hundreds if not thousands of online forums folks can choose from to get their "news" , but they all have to have a platform in which to distribute their views. The platform is the key. Biden and Brazil and other supposedly developed countries are working to limit or shutdown those platforms, Brazil and X for example.
France and the dude they just arrested for vague and unspecific charges that may result in his platform being shutdown.
Musk is working very hard to keep his platform open and available.
The X theory here is a false flag to me. Keep up the good work Elon!!
rich
Agree...Zuckerberg recently admitted to caving to government pressure to suppress information. Like it or not X is the only truly free spech platform right now.
I agree with what you say and understand why you are worried. But I disagree with your solutions.
I think the underlying problem is the reliance on platforms. As long as we rely on big platforms for communication, then we will always be vulnerable. Vulnerable to censorship by the platform and vulnerable to someone shutting off the platform.
On the other hand, there is no way anyone could stop you from hosting your own website and saying whatever you want to say. In that sense there is always free speech and it is impossible to keep you from what you want to say.
What the big platforms do is not enabling free speech (that is possible in many ways as I said) it is amplifying certain forms of speech. And I think this is really the question that people argue about. It is not: what are we allowed to say? But what type of speech should be amplified to billions of people?
Thanks for your comment,
full disclosure, I dont publish anything, just off and on comments re stories of interest on TFP, Daily Wire etc.
I feel you are confused though. To get your "message" out there, on your own website, you must use a platform. I have gmail. IF gmail (google) were pressured by the admin, or other countries governments to limit "misinformation, hate speech, etc", then they can easily turn off those messages. Thus limiting free speech. You can see folks who post on Youtube. Same thing applies, if Youtube is pressured, they can easily reduce ones exposure to the world.
I dont see X doing this , or doing this to any degree. The typical "inciting violence" , or "threatening someones life" on line, exceptions are minimal on X.
I feel Musk has stood his ground on what he is pressured to limit.
I think of Fuckerburg and Meta, who now admits to caving to government pressure and FBI "threats" and actively sensored and limited exposure to election issues, serious covid concerns etc. I feel he did this because he wants to be out in front of the fallout that is coming from all the government sensorship and curtailment of free speech the past 8+ years. Think about it, none of this occurred prior to Trump running for president in 2015-2016. Suddenly, we need to ensure our "democracy is secure", and people only see "fair and balanced news". What a croc of shit.
take care
and "Go Elon"
Rich
The other thing I don't get about X is: X/Twitter exists for about 10 years. So, if X is indeed essential for free speech and democracy, how could society ever evolve before X was invented? How is it that people put so much faith in X, when society has come so far before X was invented?
Respectfully the news media is not he same as your parents. Journalism is dead in regards to the national news media that is why people are turning to platforms like X, Podcasts and other outlets that don't restrict opinions, stories or suppress information.
So what if you just host your own website on your own server?
Then you can just write what you want to write and don't have to bow down to anyone.