Read on Twitter
SLIPPERY SLOPES
When Twitter banned Trump, I wrote that even though I don't like Trump and thought that the world would be better off without him, I was also against its censorship for fear of a slippery slope.
3 weeks later, did it happen?
Yes. Examples & implications
1/8
When Twitter banned Trump, I wrote that even though I don't like Trump and thought that the world would be better off without him, I was also against its censorship for fear of a slippery slope.
3 weeks later, did it happen?
Yes. Examples & implications
1/8
2/ After Twitter, FB banned him. Then, Google suspended Parler from its store, Apple did it too, and finally Amazon banned it from its infrastructure.
3/ Two comments:
– What looks inconsequential if one small company does it is very consequential if all major players do it.
– It started with banning a few bad apples, it ended up with banning full categories of users.
(the latter should give the chills; also see tweet #5)
– What looks inconsequential if one small company does it is very consequential if all major players do it.
– It started with banning a few bad apples, it ended up with banning full categories of users.
(the latter should give the chills; also see tweet #5)
4/ Twitter began flagging claims of US election fraud.
Then, slippery slope, it began limiting discussion on elections in general (see screenshot).
This is a bigger threat to democracy than anything Trump did.
Then, slippery slope, it began limiting discussion on elections in general (see screenshot).
This is a bigger threat to democracy than anything Trump did.
5/ As another example, how many people cheered on Big Tech deplatforming Parler, just to protest as two weeks later it deplatformed WSB (the group behind the Gamestop squeeze)?
The point is, you cannot choose when censorship, and in particular extra-judicial censorship, stops.
The point is, you cannot choose when censorship, and in particular extra-judicial censorship, stops.
6/ Censorship you do not like often begins as censorship you like.
The question is not, how can censorship help you but how can it damage you. https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/status/1347400135261761538?s=20
The question is not, how can censorship help you but how can it damage you. https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/status/1347400135261761538?s=20
7/ Everyone likes censorship when they get to be the censor.
But the question is, would one like censorship when the censor is his enemy?
Because if censorship is possible, at some point the censor WILL become the enemy.
But the question is, would one like censorship when the censor is his enemy?
Because if censorship is possible, at some point the censor WILL become the enemy.
8/ The reason we made free speech a principle is that principles are there to guide our actions not when it's convenient but when it's inconvenient.
Because otherwise, slippery slopes.
Let's not forget this.
Because otherwise, slippery slopes.
Let's not forget this.
9/ Update: more slippery slope https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1355562890003005443
