Substack says it will not remove or demonetize Nazi content

8 points by _z2co 1 year ago | 6 comments
  • chmaynard 1 year ago
    I'm disappointed to hear about this misguided policy. It's one thing to support the right of extremists to express their opinions. It's quite another to give them access to an important publishing platform and lend legitimacy to their cause.
    • SenAnder 1 year ago
      [flagged]
      • 082349872349872 1 year ago
        > racists can't even claim they are censored, because they're not being literally jailed for their views.

        that's normally the opposite of free speech, yes. Try speaking against the "special military operation" in the РФ. ... and MLK Jr. didn't get cancelled by merely losing his job.

        Edit: I guess one argument for publishing racists would be that it provides receipts should their lawyers ever attempt to claim lack of mens rea?

        • latexr 1 year ago
          The right to free speech means you cannot be persecuted for what you say, it does not mean you are entitled to say it on whatever platform you want.

          https://xkcd.com/1357/

          And free speech is not absolute. Amongst the things it does not protect are:

          > libel, slander, obscenity, pornography, sedition, incitement, fighting words, hate speech, classified information, copyright violation, trade secrets, food labeling, non-disclosure agreements, the right to privacy, dignity, the right to be forgotten, public security, and perjury.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech

          • SenAnder 1 year ago
            I don't think I said anything that disagrees with your post. Except for one detail - the comic you linked writes (emphasis mine):

            "It's just that the people listening think you're an asshole, and they're showing you the door."

            But as I think you'll agree, the problem is that "the people listening" often don't show the door (that's why hateful accounts gain such large followings), and it's up to the corporate owners to do the deplatforming.

            But I agree it's better PR to describe it as "people" doing it. The manufacturing of consent necessary to maintain our democracy is much easier if we trick "the people listening" into thinking they are doing it, instead of it being done to them by 3rd parties.

      • gmerc 1 year ago
        Is he saying removing Nazis from Europe was a bad idea because … ideas? It sounds like it.
        • 082349872349872 1 year ago
          He's saying pecunia non olet but in rather more words.
        • macguyvermectin 1 year ago
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