News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on The Next Chapter – moot retires from 4chan. Parent comment

Re:The Next Chapter – moot retires from 4chan by current_call on Wednesday January 21, 2015 @06:16PM (#8926453)
If I can say anything I want, but I have no infrastructure, then I can't communicate my ideas effectively. People who provide neutral infrastructure allow others to exercise their right to free speech. People who oppose neutral providers want to make communication difficult for people they disagree with.

Removing neutral infrastructure is restricting free speech through social conventions instead of through government. It's still censorship.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Next Chapter – moot retires from 4chan by wpietri on Friday January 23, 2015 @03:13PM (#8936984)
It is definitely not censorship. Nobody is under any obligation to help, say, pedophiles, promote their ideas. To say otherwise is to deny freedom of action and freedom of association.

If you have an ideological attachment to the existence of neutral providers, nobody can stop you from creating one. But as 8chan is discovering, people are free to criticize them for who they are helping and what effects that has.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Next Chapter – moot retires from 4chan by current_call on Friday January 23, 2015 @07:23PM (#8938246)
Nobody is under any obligation to provide infrastructure, but not providing infrastructure is different from trying to stop providers.

People are of course free to try and stop neutral providers. They are also free to lobby for a government that will censor them.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Next Chapter – moot retires from 4chan by wpietri on Sunday January 25, 2015 @02:45PM (#8943998)
Freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences. If people are free to speak, I am also free to speak out against them. If people support particular speakers, I am also free to speak out against those supporters, and to shun them.

If you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe a lawyer who does a lot of free-speech work: https://www.popehat.com/2013/09/10/speech-and-consequences/

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Next Chapter – moot retires from 4chan by current_call on Sunday January 25, 2015 @07:49PM (#8944973)
Yes, it is legal to do many immoral things.

Edit: According to you, shouldn't Twitter be at fault for letting Pax say such hurtful things? They're providing him a platform.

[ Parent | on HN ]