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Re:YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread electio... by lukas099 on Wednesday December 09, 2020 @07:51PM (#25367963)
Hm. That bill's goal seems to be to stop tech companies from using algorithms that lead to amplification of extremist viewpoints. That is not the same as censorship.
Re:YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread electio... by AnthonyMouse on Wednesday December 09, 2020 @07:56PM (#25368016)
The censorship is in threatening to pass a law the companies wouldn't like if they don't do what the legislators demand. It isn't any less a threat than a fine for not doing what the legislators demand; it's a threat of punishment for non-compliance.

(There are also several other bills of a similar nature, that was only one example.)

Re:YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread electio... by Guvante on Wednesday December 09, 2020 @09:28PM (#25368864)
"If you do what we want we won't force you to" is as old as legislation.

They aren't saying do X or we will pass legislation about Y. They are saying do X or we will pass legislation forcing you to do X. The "widespread voter fraud" story is exactly the kind of extremist rhetoric that they are talking about writing legislation against spreading.

Re:YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread electio... by AnthonyMouse on Wednesday December 09, 2020 @11:40PM (#25369797)
Except that X and Y can't be exactly the same thing when X is content-based censorship of political speech, because then a law requiring X would be unconstitutional. So they threaten a Y which is not quite the same but still nothing they want, in order to make them do X anyway.