Re:The war on disinformation is a war on dissent
by hackyhacky on Saturday February 06, 2021 @05:23PM
(#26050579)
This is correct.
There's a big difference between a sincere, good-faith exchange of ideas, and weaponized disinformation for the explicit purpose of manipulating the public. Knowingly spreading lies is not a "political opinion," and doesn't deserve the same protections that actual opinions do.
This article and a lot of the comments here conflate the two. I don't see any desire on the part of the media or big tech to censor political thought. I do see efforts on their part, especially after 6 Jan, to fight disinformation, which is as it should be.
Example of sincere opinion: "I support small government and lower taxes."
Example of weaponized disinformation: "Dominion source code shows that Trump really won the election."
One of these statements is more likely than the other to be banned on Twitter, despite the fact that both are ostensibly "conservative" positions.
There's a big difference between a sincere, good-faith exchange of ideas, and weaponized disinformation for the explicit purpose of manipulating the public. Knowingly spreading lies is not a "political opinion," and doesn't deserve the same protections that actual opinions do.
This article and a lot of the comments here conflate the two. I don't see any desire on the part of the media or big tech to censor political thought. I do see efforts on their part, especially after 6 Jan, to fight disinformation, which is as it should be.
Example of sincere opinion: "I support small government and lower taxes." Example of weaponized disinformation: "Dominion source code shows that Trump really won the election."
One of these statements is more likely than the other to be banned on Twitter, despite the fact that both are ostensibly "conservative" positions.