After a devastating advertiser exodus last week involving some of the world’s largest media companies, X owner Elon Musk is suing the progressive watchdog group Media Matters over its analysis highlighting antisemitic and pro-Nazi content on X — a report that appeared to play a significant role in the massive and highly damaging brand revolt.
I’m all for reasonable free speech. It should fall within the guidelines of how yelling FIRE! in a movie theater has consequences if people are hurt by it.
Well that’s a very simple explanation of a very complex subject.
If I call you a bi tch unjustly, that’s an incredibly rude insult that you might be hurt by. Will you remove my comment or is that free speech?
If I conduct research that finds that the Earth is round, which is contrary to what virtually everyone believes, is that “misinformation” or is that free speech?
If I present evidence that the Holocaust never happened (regardless of whether the evidence is legitimate) is that “free speech” or “misinformation”?
The concept of “free speech” is entirely about allowing people to say hurtful things, and things that may or may not be true. No one needs free speech to tell you “you look nice today”.
The problem is the advent and adoption of social media has led to the ability to spread misinformation like wildfire and without any fact checking. Previously information was spread by newspapers that relied on subscriptions, and people subscribed to newspapers that had the best reputation for investigating and finding the truth. There was usually a 24 hour news cycle, so everyone had at least some time to investigate the story. News just moved at a different pace and no one had to be the absolute first one to publish a story with zero details.
Now news sites are driven by clicks, and they will publish whatever drives clicks. And what drives clicks more than outrage? So outrage is what we get, day in and day out.
Well that’s a very simple explanation of a very complex subject.
If I call you a bi tch unjustly, that’s an incredibly rude insult that you might be hurt by. Will you remove my comment or is that free speech?
If I conduct research that finds that the Earth is round, which is contrary to what virtually everyone believes, is that “misinformation” or is that free speech?
If I present evidence that the Holocaust never happened (regardless of whether the evidence is legitimate) is that “free speech” or “misinformation”?
The concept of “free speech” is entirely about allowing people to say hurtful things, and things that may or may not be true. No one needs free speech to tell you “you look nice today”.
The problem is the advent and adoption of social media has led to the ability to spread misinformation like wildfire and without any fact checking. Previously information was spread by newspapers that relied on subscriptions, and people subscribed to newspapers that had the best reputation for investigating and finding the truth. There was usually a 24 hour news cycle, so everyone had at least some time to investigate the story. News just moved at a different pace and no one had to be the absolute first one to publish a story with zero details.
Now news sites are driven by clicks, and they will publish whatever drives clicks. And what drives clicks more than outrage? So outrage is what we get, day in and day out.