Anthon said:
I would be more concerned with Google pretty much controlling the whole internet. :
It can easily exclude sites from search, or give priority to the information.
I have discussed this before and stopped using google some time ago...
So how 'free' is the internet really? Sure you can say whatever you want, but if the magical algorithms of Google don't like you, then your opinion won't really matter.
so what? My opinion doesn't matter, but that's why I vote. My vote matters.
On the other hand, just because the government wants to have control on the internet does not mean it is totalitarian.
No but totalitarian governments desperately want to control communication.
One of the main tasks of any government is keeping order, and some information needs to be blocked, like extremism and hate speech.
Um no, the primary task of government is insuring security and protecting personal freedom/liberty...(especially from people who don't like what other people say). Free speech is one of those protected freedoms (1st amendment). Of course the right to say stupid stuff, does not protect you from the consequences (like yelling fire in a crowded theater).
In some countries more intervention might be needed then in others, it depends on the cultural context.
and who decides?
Perhaps the most infamous example where 'freedom of speech' caused tremendous amount of harm is the Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines, which played a huge role in Rwandan genocide back in the 90's.
I doubt that it literally caused the genocide but may have inflamed an already dangerous situation. Without the civilizing influence of rule of law, religion(?), and polite society, we are still animals and often behave that way. (Many people have also been killed in the name of religion, and are still are being killed today).
It's often it is hard to draw the line between just free speech and plain extremism. Usually it starts softly, and gradually evolves into extremism. People do not become extremists overnight.
I've witnessed several of harmless 'meme' sites plunging into plain nazism over the past couple of years on the internet.
I have watched one major political party tilt toward full bore socialism. It is sad to hear defenses of Marxist ideas. I thought history had already succinctly proved it unworkable, but it keeps popping up in political arguments for its attractive class warfare screed, etc. (Note we are already a little pregnant with socialism and I do not expect that baby to ever be aborted. )
So I would not underestimate the power of 'fake news'.
Indeed.... your Rwanda genocide accounts for less than 1M deaths, communism is responsible for several tens of M deaths.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (Santayana).
Free speech can be pretty ugly, but IMO is better than the alternative.
JR
PS: The silliest recent example of the social media cancel culture losing their mind, was a "woker than thou" blogger claiming that Hallmark Christmas movies are fascist. You can't make this sh__ up...
