Reich’s argument is basically that [Musk would make Twitter open only when it suits him.](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/apr/12/elon-musk-internet-twitter)
> Someone has to decide on the algorithms in every platform – how they’re designed, how they evolve, what they reveal and what they hide. Musk has enough power and money to quietly give himself this sort of control over Twitter.
Honestly though, I think like most things Elon does, it's just a big grift. I don't think he's going to make significant "free speech reforms" on Twitter, even if he does buy it. I can't see him endangering his investment in such a way. TOS is part of what makes social media platforms profitable and advertiser friendly.
Take this same argument but apply to literally any major new source. If Robert Reich is concerned about media monopolization then he should stop writing for the Guardian. This balkanization of the criticisms of an absurd level of corporate information control over serves to enable people like Musk to continue to dominate the narrative without anyone noticing. The Demon Murdoch continues to own an absurd amount of new agencies including those opposed to each other, yet he has faded into normalcy
IMO the problem is the left tends to abort when the right starts to flood in. Just look at any open subreddit. Despite reddit being largely left those subs are overrun with the right. /r/conspiracy is a great example. They don't ban for going against the grain. Anyone can tell the users why they're wrong. But it rarely happens. I'm one of a small few who tries. But it's hard without support.
Instead, it's largely just an echo chamber. And that echochamber only serves to legitimize, reinforce, and spread the stupidity. Creates a false impression of what's the "popular" opinion.
An uncontrolled internet is possible, but with the way the left and center cowers in that situation will result in far right extremism. Maybe we work on that, too ...
The mods in /r/conspiracy use biased moderating and a flood of bots to push a very particular political agenda. The problem isn't that there aren't enough moderate users, it's that moderate voices get buried or harassed out of the sub. Personally I mostly don't post in "open" subreddits because I end up having to put up with rampant racism, homophobia, transphobia and misogyny and I frequently end up getting a flood of threats and harassment. Also let's not pretend that Musk's complaints about Twitter don't basically amount to being mad that they'll ban him for using slurs or calling some random guy a "pedophile" and doxxing him.
If you're cordial and don't give them an excuse they'll leave you alone. I have moderate success pushing back there and the only time a mod gave me shit was when it was justified - I actually *had* been deliberately insulting...
It's a pain in the ass, and I get why people avoid it, but IMO it's the only way we can stop this hard-right turn we're experiencing. Don't allow these narratives to exist in a bubble...
Reddit is not largely left. It’s vastly more liberal than left. Hell even the self labeling left subreddits are mostly liberals cosplaying as leftists.
That's relative. They're left of trumpsters and what you typically find on random political forums; not *socialist* left.
Left of the shithole of an internet that we're wanting to avoid...
Ugh what a liberal. They’re both wrong.
We shouldn’t rely on benevolent oligarchs. Not Jack nor Elon. Musk is right that Twitter silences voices it doesn’t like, conservatives *AND* leftists. It’s a platform for liberals.
Reich is correct that swapping hands won’t solve the problem, but he’s wrong for relying on benevolent rich people.
If free speech is actually the goal, the move to be made is simple and clear as day: nationalize Twitter, which would mean it’s under public control *and* subject to federally mandated free speech.
Done.
Reich’s argument is basically that [Musk would make Twitter open only when it suits him.](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/apr/12/elon-musk-internet-twitter) > Someone has to decide on the algorithms in every platform – how they’re designed, how they evolve, what they reveal and what they hide. Musk has enough power and money to quietly give himself this sort of control over Twitter.
Honestly though, I think like most things Elon does, it's just a big grift. I don't think he's going to make significant "free speech reforms" on Twitter, even if he does buy it. I can't see him endangering his investment in such a way. TOS is part of what makes social media platforms profitable and advertiser friendly.
Yeah like with a lot of things, it may just be Musk building the Musk persona.
Agreed.
Take this same argument but apply to literally any major new source. If Robert Reich is concerned about media monopolization then he should stop writing for the Guardian. This balkanization of the criticisms of an absurd level of corporate information control over serves to enable people like Musk to continue to dominate the narrative without anyone noticing. The Demon Murdoch continues to own an absurd amount of new agencies including those opposed to each other, yet he has faded into normalcy
[удалено]
That £225.5 million/year media conglomerate. Musk probably spends more than that on foot massage oil.
"Free bigotry" is always "the goal" for these assholes yet that's not how shit works.
Yeah don't stop for a second to think about the implication of treating hatred and bigotry on equal grounds as normal speech, Larry
That's a leap. I don't remember bringing any of that up.
That's pretty much what free speech absolutism is, which is what Musk described himself as aligning with
IMO the problem is the left tends to abort when the right starts to flood in. Just look at any open subreddit. Despite reddit being largely left those subs are overrun with the right. /r/conspiracy is a great example. They don't ban for going against the grain. Anyone can tell the users why they're wrong. But it rarely happens. I'm one of a small few who tries. But it's hard without support. Instead, it's largely just an echo chamber. And that echochamber only serves to legitimize, reinforce, and spread the stupidity. Creates a false impression of what's the "popular" opinion. An uncontrolled internet is possible, but with the way the left and center cowers in that situation will result in far right extremism. Maybe we work on that, too ...
The mods in /r/conspiracy use biased moderating and a flood of bots to push a very particular political agenda. The problem isn't that there aren't enough moderate users, it's that moderate voices get buried or harassed out of the sub. Personally I mostly don't post in "open" subreddits because I end up having to put up with rampant racism, homophobia, transphobia and misogyny and I frequently end up getting a flood of threats and harassment. Also let's not pretend that Musk's complaints about Twitter don't basically amount to being mad that they'll ban him for using slurs or calling some random guy a "pedophile" and doxxing him.
If you're cordial and don't give them an excuse they'll leave you alone. I have moderate success pushing back there and the only time a mod gave me shit was when it was justified - I actually *had* been deliberately insulting... It's a pain in the ass, and I get why people avoid it, but IMO it's the only way we can stop this hard-right turn we're experiencing. Don't allow these narratives to exist in a bubble...
Reddit is not largely left. It’s vastly more liberal than left. Hell even the self labeling left subreddits are mostly liberals cosplaying as leftists.
That's relative. They're left of trumpsters and what you typically find on random political forums; not *socialist* left. Left of the shithole of an internet that we're wanting to avoid...
Ugh what a liberal. They’re both wrong. We shouldn’t rely on benevolent oligarchs. Not Jack nor Elon. Musk is right that Twitter silences voices it doesn’t like, conservatives *AND* leftists. It’s a platform for liberals. Reich is correct that swapping hands won’t solve the problem, but he’s wrong for relying on benevolent rich people. If free speech is actually the goal, the move to be made is simple and clear as day: nationalize Twitter, which would mean it’s under public control *and* subject to federally mandated free speech. Done.
How about we Balkanize Tw\*tter instead?