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It’s apparently news to a lot of people, but there are laws that specifically list reasons that CANNOT be used by private business to reject a customer. For example: If a private business does not want to do business with somebody because that somebody is black or a muslim, tough luck.


You're talking about laws regarding discrimination against race and religion, this is not one of those issues. Those laws would not protect Infowars. Specially when Infowars/AJ broke the services TOS.
 
It’s apparently news to a lot of people, but there are laws that specifically list reasons that CANNOT be used by private business to reject a customer. For example: If a private business does not want to do business with somebody because that somebody is black or a muslim, tough luck.
Yes, because they’re members of protected classes under anti-discrimination laws.

Best of luck arguing that a business is somehow a member of a protected class.
 
No, that's a US only point of view. Many people don't see the USA as a "civilised" country, and definitely not as a "free" country, and think society as a whole has the right to prevent damage.
Authoritarianism sounds so fun. I remember we had a revolution around here about 200 years ago about that
 
Can't really call it free speech if you try to limit what people can say, in general of course.
In general yes, and it is a sliding scale so it is hard to put a label on it. But other countries have laws against incitement and such like.
 
In general yes, and it is a sliding scale so it is hard to put a label on it. But other countries have laws against incitement and such like.


Sure but that's not really the point though. Obviously one can't yell fire in a crowded room or incite violence or threaten someone's life but short of things along those lines speaking ill of someone and other hateful things have to be allowed along side of non-hateful things if it's going to be as true to free speech as possible.
 
I think Jones is a nut job, but this is a slippery slope. I get Apple is a private company, but if we want to live in a free society I think freedom of speech should apply on social media as well.
 
I think Jones is a nut job, but this is a slippery slope. I get Apple is a private company, but if we want to live in a free society I think freedom of speech should apply on social media as well.
The gist of the ”free speech issue” is that while it’s completely true that free speech protections only apply to government action, the concept hasn’t held up with the times. Governments are no longer the gatekeepers to the flow of information. Huge tech giants are.
 
The gist of the ”free speech issue” is that while it’s completely true that free speech protections only apply to government action, the concept hasn’t held up with the times. Governments are no longer the gatekeepers to the flow of information. Huge tech giants are.
First, what Alex “Nut-Job” Jones oozes out of his pie hole isn’t information, it disinformation. Second, he still has a right to say his BS, just without apple’s megaphone. He can build his own platform and yell at the sky for all anyone cares. He can’t be jailed for what he says, that’s all the first amendment guarantees him.
 
He can build his own platform...

He doesn't even need to do that. The internet is still there and his web site is still available. I can even visit the site from my iPhone using Safari if I choose or any of my other Apple devices. The digital world is considerably bigger than the App Store, Facebook and Twitter. Removing his app from the store isn't even close to silencing him. It was just a convenience for those who don't want to type a URL into their browser. No different than those who choose not to download the Facebook app and just visit the site in Safari instead.

Alex Jones has the same rights today that he had a week ago. And he's still available on all your Apple devices, just in a slightly different form than before.

I wholeheartedly support Apple on this one. And if next time it's someone I support instead of Mr. Jones, I'd be upset and reluctantly support Apple. At the end of the day, it's their store and they are welcome to remove anyone they choose.
 
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The gist of the ”free speech issue” is that while it’s completely true that free speech protections only apply to government action, the concept hasn’t held up with the times. Governments are no longer the gatekeepers to the flow of information. Huge tech giants are.


At least in the US, the gov has never been the gatekeeper of information. Where do you come up with these ideas?
 
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Really? That sounds so backwards.
Yes, unless it's otherwise excluded under the First Amendment (for example, "fighting words" or threats) then it's protected. But the Constitution allows one to spew as much hateful rhetoric as he or she wants within those limits.
 
At least in the US, the gov has never been the gatekeeper of information. Where do you come up with these ideas?
And why has the US govt never been the gatekeeper of information? Because of the first amendment. And why does the first amendment exist? To prevent it from becoming the gatekeeper of information, among other things. This isn’t hard, geez.
 
And why has the US govt never been the gatekeeper of information? Because of the first amendment. And why does the first amendment exist? To prevent it from becoming the gatekeeper of information, among other things. This isn’t hard, geez.


Let's break it down, that being the "gatekeeper" meaning "Gatekeeping is the process through which information is filtered for dissemination, whether for publication, broadcasting, the Internet, or some other mode of communication." The First Amendment is a Constitutional protection that is upheld by the gov and at the same time protects the people from the gov. The First isn't for the gov's sake but for the people's. The gov itself though is not the filter of information, they only uphold the Right for others to present said information. An argument can be made that the media was the main gatekeeper or at least part of it in the past, though not the only source. Now with the age of the internet, that is better suited for that title as the internet is the line of communication and information. But again the gov is not the one in control or the filter of information.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatekeeping_(communication)
 
Truly civilized “societies” let their members decide for themselves
A truly civilized society has no need to for Alex Jones - because there would be no hate. All people would be equal. Racism wouldn't exist. Women would be paid the same as men. Gay marriage would be legal everywhere and recognized by all governments. And striving for equity wouldn't be a gold standard but achieved.

Until then - you have people like Alex Jones, and content providers who ban his hate speech.
 
The main issue is he knows where the line between "speech" and "incitement to riot/violence" is, and runs right up against it without crossing it.
Personally, I think he crosses the line and I don't think he should be on any platform
 
A truly civilized society has no need to for Alex Jones - because there would be no hate. All people would be equal. Racism wouldn't exist. Women would be paid the same as men. Gay marriage would be legal everywhere and recognized by all governments. And striving for equity wouldn't be a gold standard but achieved.

Until then - you have people like Alex Jones, and content providers who ban his hate speech.
I am glad such society only exists in warped minds like yours. While I have no sympathy for Alex Jones I couldn't care less about all these companies and their vile minions who are getting paid to spread their lies and BS. These, of course, aren't being kicked out.

The Left has infected every single place with their victimhood culture, political correctness, misandry and pathetic attempts to rewrite and erase history, and it will take more than censoring a cuckoo on major social networks to hinder conservatives, I assure you.
 
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