[February 3, 2021] Honestly, I am surprised this is even a topic of conversation. There is a movement today by Big Tech – like Google, Instagram, and Twitter – to crush free speech.1 It’s a bad idea, a bad decision on their part, and the best action they can take – in the moral sense – is to stop. For absolute clarity, I am totally opposed to their censorship of speech.
In the U.S., Big Tech companies rely on section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act to justify their censorship. Their reasoning they give is that remarks using big tech platforms could spark violence. Late last year, after the presidential election, they permanently suspend U.S. President Donald Trump, other high-profile members of the Republican Party, and well-known conservative voices.2
Some will claim this is a political issue where large tech companies are banning conservative speech they disagree with and big tech will act within their legal rights to censor.3 There is merit to these views, and I share their sentiments but not their methods. We should remember that the Nazi Party and Communist Party historically banned speech that countered the state narrative. All of their censorship was “legal.” Banning speech was and remains the method of tyrants.
I recently ran my own test on my Leadership Blog’s Facebook page. I had forgotten to take it down but thought to myself that it afforded me an opportunity that I simply could not pass up. I posted several slogans such as “stop the steal,” “all lives matter,” and “guns save lives.” All were taken down within 30 minutes, and yet I received no warning or comment. My posts were simply deleted.
America was built upon the principle of free speech, not on our agreement of speech or the potential of violence of speech or the government’s view of speech. It should surprise no one that several foundational truths are encapsulated in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Big Tech has a bad idea (some speech is dangerous) and has made a bad decision (censorship). They have become tyrants of today’s world. There will be a day in a few years when we all look back and say that Big Tech made terrible mistakes and ask ourselves how they could be so stupid. Well, yep, they are stupid, but they are also dangerous and we have done nothing.
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- Twitter: a Lesson in Failed Leadership | (theleadermaker.com). This has been going on for several years.
- Reading and listening to his speeches, I found no references that could warrant such action. I challenge anyone to do so.
- Several scholars argue that they act outside their legal bounds and can be subject to lawsuits from private individuals and public entities.
I don’t think that the big tech leaders believe they’ve made a bad decision. In fact they believe they made a moral, compelling decision.
I, like Gen. Satterfield, am a dedicated American patriot. 🇺🇸 As such I believe in the values that support American exceptionalism. That means freedom for all, a God given right, not a government right. That difference is crucial and cannot be understood by political leftists.
Someone needs to kick some serious butt. Who will it be. Writing about it (recognizing the problem) is only the first step. Maybe that person will be Donald Trump (right on).
You da man, old warrior. I’m with you. Big Tech has gotten too big and let their power go to their head. We’re taught Lord Acton’s axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/power-corrupts-quotes
Hi everyone. I recommend an article from yesterday on the 1776 Project. It will make you proud.
INSIDE THE 1776 COMMISSION
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2021/02/inside-the-1776-commission.php
There is a podcast with Victor Davis Hanson. Read everything you can that this guy writes. It will awaken even the dumbest leftist, progressive, and basement-dwelling nitwit liberal.
Listened to it late last night. VDH is great. I’m glad he is around. We need people like him helping clarify and give us intelligent points to help our own insights.
Mark that page, listen to the podcast, listen to it a second time. Worth the time.
Yep, long time fan.
Don’t we just love this blog? “Guns saves lives.” What a great slogan to put up on your Facebook page or on Twitter. Personally I deleted my accounts and am a better person for it. If you want to communicate with me, call me on the phone or stop by my house. I don’t support tyrant wannabees.
Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., told “Fox & Friends” last week that it’s time to “fight against” big tech censorship, after Twitter and other social media platforms permanently banned President Trump. The youngest member of Congress called the bans a “dangerous precedent” and suggested some form of “trust-busting” may be needed. He also supports changes favored by Trump to a key online liability law — Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects publishers from being sued over what users post on their sites.
Good man. I would think it obvious that protecting free speech is the standard for real Americans. I guess that I am wrong.
The good news is that real change – the kind that’s going to pressure the Ubers, Googles, and Amazons of the world to respect basic human dignity – doesn’t require everyone to take radical measures. But we must be smart about it, get the word out, and practice what you preach. Don’t sit around doing nothing but complaining. And, convince others that suppression of free speech is bad for us all.
Great article, I’m happy to see that you stand for the protection of free speech. I am not disappointed.
Good article that I recommend, “Big Tech Alternatives for 2021”
https://www.sysjolt.com/2021/big-tech-alternatives/
Ouch, big hitter. Thanks for the link. I enjoyed the article. It’s more than just alternatives but the author gives suggestions on how to avoid using Big Tech in other ways. 👍
It turns out there’s a few resources that can help. One of those is Ethical.net, an advocate site that’s curated a list of links to ethical companies. It has information on non tech-related things too, but its sections containing ethical alternatives to technology products and services is especially notable.
and here is another one, “Alternatives To BIG TECH Giants” http://www.t1dliving.com/alternatives-to-big-tech-giants/
I had my Facebook Page taken completely off line. Hey, I don’t care anyway and now am building a campaign to stop using these Big Tech companies. Maybe there will soon be more alternatives like Parlar.
“There will be a day in a few years when we all look back and say that Big Tech made terrible mistakes and ask ourselves how they could be so stupid. ” And we will also look upon ourselves as ask “What did I do?” That will haunt us for a generation. The final point will be free speech. Those who resist free speech will be seen as the evil that they are.
Yes Max you are right. There is evil and one of the traits of good people is the ability to see evil and stand against it. You and us are standing against it. There is no reasonable argument otherwise that hasn’t been used by tyrants throughout history to suppress free peoples.
Gen. Satterfield, as you commented, this is an obvious stance to be against censorship by Big Tech. When my dad tells me to shutup, I shutup. When Big Tech tells me to shutup, I tell them to go take a hike. There is a big difference here and a difference they cannot understand and never will. They need to have their ability to censor striped.
Wow, Gen. Satterfield. I see on your Facebook that there is not much there. I guess you are right. They do censor. Write about how to cook pizza and that is okay. Write about burning down buildings as a BLM member or antifa and that is also okay. Now I see where their priorities are …. in evil.
— and they think they are the ones who are superior.
Yes, this is really obvious. Who in their right mind, that lives in the Western world would be against free speech!
Army Capt, yes, but I find that many of my work mates say that some speech should be banned. Asking them “who” makes that decision, they tell me it’s the EXPERTS. Ha Ha Ha…. Hitler gave those experts the authority and look what happened.
As did Stalin and other tyrants. This is what happens when you aren’t taught history in school but are taught protest slogans. I know, I teach High School.
Not obvious to the snowflake generation. Call them what you want but they are passionate about being weak, effete, and they pee all over themselves when they hear something they don’t like – which is often. Maybe we should get them some of the adult diapers like Nancy Pelosi wears.
I love it. Great comment about Nancy P – the worse human being in America and most hated by all sane folks.
Thanks Janna for making my day. Of course, it is hard to disagree with these comments. When we protect our children too much – being helicopter parents is a common name for it – then we are also taking away their learning to be adults. Once they reach 18, they are still children and often go to 35 or so before they grow up. And some never do.
Obvious? YES. Action? Nope for most folk. Why? They are stupid. Now my wife tells me to stop saying such things but they are indeed true.
You got me there, Rev Cain. Thank you so much for you and your wife.