How does this apply to other rap songs? When they talk about killing people and selling drugs are we supposed to call the police? Are we supposed to believe those lines as literally true as well?

What is the substance of your argument: that the "pandemic" is not a medical matter, or that "ain't real" is not misinfo?

I think the full lyric here is actually "pandemic ain't real, they just planned it."

The meaning and intent of the lyrics are open to interpretation, but I think the latter part of the lyric implies political commentary rather than medical commentary.

Also, I think we need a tighter definition of "medical misinformation." Is it to promote anything that is medically harmful? Well, then why can musicians sing endlessly about drugs and unsafe sex? What about videos on non-fda regulated vitamins and minerals, or weight loss solutions? Surely most doctors wouldn't advise taking recreational drugs, or jumping on to the latest weight loss magic pill.

And yes, YouTube is a private enterprise. But we can still, as a society, openly dialog on what we think is wrong with their practices.

The virus is real. "The pandemic" in popular culture includes both the actual virus and the response to it. "Ain't real" is also an incredibly interpret-able phrase. If somebody said to me "homosexuality isn't real" - I wouldn't think they meant nobody had ever had gay sex - I'd have to guess at their meaning, but it'd probably come out to something like "sexual preference isn't innate". Similarly, if somebody were to say to me that the pandemic wasn't real, I would understand that the concept they were trying to express is probably closer to the idea that the severity of government intervention or perhaps the intensity of media hype was unwarranted - not that the virus didn't exist. Whether or not the responses were appropriately sized aren't "medical" questions - they are political / sociological questions.

I'd prefer that, particularly in music, which has a rich history of slang, multiple meanings, and political commentary, we lean in the direction of permitting speech, to avoid censoring political commentary. In this particular case, when the chorus and title "Let's go Brandon" are CLEARLY political commentary, the chance that the work as a whole is political commentary (as opposed to "medical information") is further increased.

I only get my medical advice from rap music, so I for one am glad youtube has provided me with this safety net. I hope they target the misinfo on how to safely fuck hoes next - that could also use some correction.

I could argue that this "pandemic" is not of actual severity sufficient to require the responses; and "it ain't real" is an opinion being voiced, which is more important than a duty to "protect the public from misinformation".

But I'm not. The proper counter argument to this Stalinist "you can't say that," bullshit is to keep saying it, louder.

I would also like to quote NWA: "Fuck the Police"

I'd also like to add Public Enemy's "Fight The Power!" as a timeless classic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmo3HFa2vjg

> this Stalinist "you can't say that," bullshit is to keep saying it, louder.

So you don't dispute that it is disinformation. Is idea that is that someone refusing to host disinformation is a good reason to disinform, louder?

I dispute that disinformation or not is a reason for censoring it.

And I dispute the repute of those labeling things "disinformation", specifically.

It's all about the effects of what is said. Fight the Power and Fuck the Police were published when there were no social networks around; The post-2K Web changed everything, and the chances of having more people rioting because some rapper want to become their idol (gigs, books, TV appearances, etc) isn't that dim.

If I wrote a rap song with "stick an artichoke in your butt" and magically a hundred people follow the advice and hurt themselves, someone for sure will at least attempt to censor my song. The imitation problem has been with us for thousands years, but social media made it a lot worse by dramatically augmenting the audience, then moving a lot faster than laws, and allowing some grey zones where a law prohibiting this and that would be too draconian and no law makes similar scenarios very possible. That's where we should be the ones who censor ourselves when we suspect that someone could be damaged by our words. That rapper didn't, because he pursuits fame and money, and Fox News by jumping in his defense acted exactly as one would expect from a source that has nothing to do with journalism.

I think it's childish to act like you're being wronged, and threatening a defiant tantrum "this is Stalinist bullshit, keep saying it, louder" in response to someone else deciding not to host some disinformation. Are you truly the victim today, in this pandemic?

He is being wronged, as are you. Each and every time a company takes freedom away from their users they are being wronged, and when the company is as big as Youtube then we all get wronged. The "defiant tantrum" is simply taking the stance that that is not admisible, how you consider that to be childish behavior I don't even know.

>Are you truly the victim today, in this pandemic?

So give up freedoms, for the common good. Now that's rich.

You don't have the freedom to murder, enslave, or kidnap. I don't think you should have the freedom to spread a deadly disease.

Especially since COVID-19 spreads without symptoms, we have to prioritize prevention.

Besides, we've had our freedoms eroded time and again since the World Trade Centre attacks. Why are some Americans choosing now to draw a line in the sand? Because previously the laws were targeting brown skinned people. And now there's a Democrat in charge, so Republicans want to cause strife and division to get elected in 2022 and 2024.

I've been saying things like this since 1991 and before; so its not just "choosing now to draw a line in the sand". Back then it was "Politically Correct is just being sensitive, it's nothing like censorship" ...

The goals keep creeping but the justifications are always the same: People have to be saved from themselves!

Agreed, it's never absolute, it's about if the measure that curtains freedom is appropriate to the threat. My personal belief is that in 2021, taking off your shoes at airport security isn't necessary (but I'll comply, of course), but refusing to host COVID disinformation is a good idea.

This attempt to make COVID control measure into a scare story about a slippery slope where the "freedom" is vanishing over time is IMHO wrong (COVID control measures are not that) and misdirecting (pay attention to what FaceBook does, voter suppression, etc, if real examples that slope is what you are looking for).

That it does not even qualify as “info”…

It's a song, not a scientific journal article.

People spread misinformation through memes or image macros. Why should songs be considered differently?

There's a segment of the US population that believes and spreads the harmful misinformation in memes and YouTube videos. That's all well and good when talking about aliens building pyramids or whatever. But currently we have this same segment of the population refusing to get vaccinated, mask up, wash their hands, etc etc. Those actions are harmful to society as a whole and should be treated like the attacks they are.

As someone with lung issues, it angers me deeply that there's millions of Americans who couldn't give the tiniest shit to take actions that might save my life.

> we have this same segment of the population refusing to get vaccinated

As is their right. People should be able to make informed decisions about whether they get an injection. Especially right now in this pandemic. We're still studying the vaccines and their effects on people. Nobody knows for sure their risk/benefit profiles yet, there hasn't been enough time to draw definitive conclusions. It's entirely possible that these vaccines have risks we don't know about, or are only worth using on certain populations such as the elderly.

People who decide to take vaccines need to do so informed of these facts. Misleading the public about this will only strengthen conspiracy theories and lead to even worse outcomes.

> mask up, wash their hands, etc etc.

Yeah, I agree that's stupid. There's no risk to washing hands or wearing masks. Nothing wrong with refusing to associate with people who won't even practice basic hygiene.

> Those actions are harmful to society as a whole and should be treated like the attacks they are.

They may be harmful but that doesn't mean people should be oppressed because of it.

Comedy, Music, The Arts - things I don't want the ruling class of the day to suspend and police.

The parties go back and forth every so often - it used to be the conservatives who wanted to censor music, now its the liberals. Its tiring. I want off Mr. Bones Wild Ride.

Categorizing something this broad and nonchalant from a joke rap video as medical misinformation is an obvious wrong-think power grab.