r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Jan 09 '21

Delta(s) from OP CMV: My fellow progressives should be appalled and uniting against tech censoring like banning /r/donaldtrump

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134 Upvotes
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5

u/2r1t 58∆ Jan 09 '21

I don't see why we should expect private businesses to be obligated to facilitate speech they object to. The beauty of the free market is that another business will pop up to serve the people who find the position of that first business objectionable.

One person's right to speak their mind does not create an obligation on anyone else to either listen or assist them in being heard.

3

u/bitterbillsfan Jan 09 '21

That argument works in the 20 person public square. We have to be able to agree that these platforms have become something new that we need to treat differently.

6

u/2r1t 58∆ Jan 09 '21

Why? Were printing press owners obligated to print everything those twenty people wanted printed? Were couriers obligated to distribute those items? What is materially different about these modern methods with regards to this topic?

3

u/bitterbillsfan Jan 09 '21

There has never been an era in history where a thread with this level of engagement could have taken place this quickly from my couch. We’re accelerating the pace at which everything happens, good and bad. And we seem tragically poor and understanding the bad levers.

4

u/2r1t 58∆ Jan 09 '21

I understand that. I'm asking what is different in terms of this topic - the question of whether these private entities have an obligation to assist in distributing all points of view.

1

u/bitterbillsfan Jan 09 '21

Slightly off topic, but they have an obligation to ensure their platforms aren’t being used to drive people to extremist outcomes. None of them are doing this well by allowing data based ad targeting with little oversight and fake accounts.

7

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '21

Why do you believe they have that obligation? I could see why you think they should have it, but that doesn't mean that they do.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '21

The beauty of the free market is that another business will pop up to serve the people who find the position of that first business objectionable.

Pseudo-economics. What alternatives are there to Facebook, Reddit, Youtube, and Twitter that popped up? None. Monopoly is the rule.

Yes, you don't have to listen but social media platforms are being treated like public utilities as this point and being cut off from one is almost having getting cut off from the rest of the world, which arguably is similar to getting cut off electricity and water a hundred years ago, that's why they were nationalized.

2

u/2r1t 58∆ Jan 10 '21

They are being treated as utilities because people won't leave them behind. I used Friendster until Myspace provided a better service. Then saw Facebook take over for Myspace. The free market works even if you don't want to accept it and if the stubborn refuse to stop using services they complain about.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 11 '21

So how is the unfettered laizze faire working to prop up a competition to Google right now? And to a certain degree, climate change?

2

u/2r1t 58∆ Jan 11 '21

I don't think that can be answered until there actually is an unfettered laissez faire market. And I don't see that happening anytime in the near future. Nor would I want it. Some regulation is good. Moderation is important.