We have previously discussed the troubling efforts to bar conservative speakers from college campuses and social media, particularly Breitbart Tech editor Milo Yiannopoulos who has become something of an icon for young conservatives. Twitter has long been criticized for banning or harassing conservative figures, including repeated suspensions against Yiannopoulos. Now, the company is under fire for permanently banning Yiannopoulos — just 20 minutes before his “Gays for Trump” event takes place at the Republican National Convention.
What is equally disturbing is that Twitter has remained silent about the reason for the permanent ban. The supporters of Yiannopoulos however cited a series of exchanges with Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones on the site. Jones, who herself has been criticized for racially insensitive comments against whites, reportedly spoke with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey after she complained about “abuse” on the platform.
There is no question that Jones has been subject to disgusting and racists attacks on social media after the release of the highly unpopular Ghostbusters movie (It is highly disturbing that Jones, who is black, seems to have generated the most criticism rather than the other actresses). Supporters of Yiannopoulos insist that he is often blamed for the comments of others on these sites, which are often caustic and racist. I find the comments directed against Jones to be highly offensive and Jones ultimately quit Twitter. Yet, Jones is a celebrity and, in a free and open forum, there will be inevitable trolls and vile commentators. It is the cost of free speech that we often have to put up with a degree of garbage, including racists like some of those attacking Jones. On our own site, we have a civility rule and I try to catch racist or personal attacks but I also try hard to minimize deletions on a site committed to free speech. That results in commentary that I often dislike or find offensive. Yet, such hateful commentators are often shouted down by more mature commentators.
Moreover, when people like Jones are subjected to racist or obnoxious attacks, it serves to lay bare the serious racial problems that we continue to face in this country. Removing evidence of such views just forces these commentators under ground and turns them into victims. As difficult as the trolls must be for celebrities like Jones (and I do not belittle the emotional toll even for a celebrity), these postings expose the problem rather than scrub it away through bans and sanctions.
I remain very concerned about the increasing content-based censorship on Twitter, Google, and other sites. Yiannopoulos has objected that he is being punished for the comments or actions of fans and trolls as opposed to his own statements. Moreover, he has raised what he views as a double standard in the treatment of groups like Black Lives Matter and more conservative groups. The New York Times reports “Twitter barred one of the most egregious and consistent offenders of its terms of service, Milo Yiannopoulos, in an attempt to show that it is cracking down on abuse.” Yet, there are no examples of such violations or even a recognition by the New York Times of the free speech implications of such terms of service when used to target people on the basis of the content of their views.
Twitter does need to explain this action. We use Twitter as part of our blog but it would be difficult for a site committed to free speech to use a company that abridges free speech, if these allegations are true. Twitter has an obligation to not only establish clear guidelines but address controversies like this one.
I am not well versed in the writings of Yiannopoulos, but I do believe that he has been subjected to unfair and unequal treatment on campuses. I continue to believe strongly that, despite hateful or obnoxious speech on social media, we are far better off in maintaining a free and robust forum on the Internet than engaging in private censorship. The desire to silence critics can become insatiable as companies like Twitter sanitize their media through bans and sanctions. Whatever problems people have with Yiannopoulos, he remains a strong voice for young conservatives. Critics should answer him, not work to silence him.
What do you think?
Progressives will buckle, Autumn, and vote 100% for Hillary.
There’s no difference.
Is it a free speech issue if its on a private system, like Twitter?
Annie Inga was a dedicated Bernie supporter. Did not like Clinton.
Jimmy Dore for example is a Lefty but he is a Progressive not a “liberal”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwhUREqekFk
I just wanna point out that there is a “yuuge” difference between “Liberals” (Hilbots) and Progressives (Sanders/Stein). Progressives question everything and we welcome different POVs.
@KCF
But it’s a good habit! Every time you exasperate a liberal, a unicorn somewhere gets a gummi bear! Or something like that. Maybe it’s a skittle???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I know, it is an irritating habit.
KCF, Stop pointing out facts, and making sense.
For example, SJW retailer Target Stores took a bath for promoting trangenderism.
And now even their own employees don’t want to invest in Target.
SJWs destroy everything they touch.
Even if you are enjoying Twitter’s banning of Milo for ‘harassment’, their social justice activities have been very bad for business.
Since Jan. 2014, Twitter has lost $26.5 Billion in market capitalization, dropping $50/share in that time frame,.
Its stock price fell $18/share in the past year alone.
SJWs destroy everything they touch.
As such, I deleted my own Facebook and Twitter accounts 8 months ago.
There are groups working on alternatives as we speak.
Twitter delenda est.
“Twitter is a private entity and can censor as it pleases. If you don’t like what they’re doing, build your own…
But a bakery cannot choose whom it serves.
Liberals demand that a private entity serve as it pleases the left.
1. If it’s a leftist company, they can ban and censor away, citing private rights.
2. If it’s not a leftist company, they cannot ban, citing public accommodation rights.
Pretty simple standard, albeit double.
Heads they win, tails, you lose.
@Swarthmoremom
Hillary shot??? Heaven’s no! Royalty is supposed to be guillotined. I think that is in the Constitution somewhere. Or maybe that was in France??? Anyway, c’est la vie! Which is French for, “That’s vie!”
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Oh, I get it. Kind of like the Trump spokesperson saying that Hillary Clinton should be shot. Oh well, there have been others that were banned.
Squeek, LOL!
She was banned for saying she wanted a weekend blogger to die because she didn’t like what he said. So yes, SWM. in a sense she banned for being “librul.”
I hear that Annie is in a nunnery in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, doing penance for telling all those liberal lies. She flagellates herself each Friday, and three days a week eats only oldy ,moldy bread and water. She experienced severe feelings of guilt for not saying anything about how Democrats encourage all the illegitimate black births and subsequent problems in the black community. She is ashamed of her pro-gay stance and how she encouraged life threatening activities which cause HIV and 15,000 deaths a year. On the good side, she has lost 38 pounds and got rid of the chicken wings on both arms!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I hadn’t heard of Milo Y. until quite recently. I saw a speech on YouTube that he gave at UCLA. He was quite interesting and funny. I think it is a mistake for Twitter to ban him, as he clearly has a large following, and more importantly, I don’t understand why the company would want to involve itself in a snarky gay vs. black spat that will soon blow over. I don’t use Twitter, but if I did I would cancel my account to protest their censorship policies.
RosieS
1, July 20, 2016 at 1:07 pm
Unbelievable!
One question….
Where’s Annie/Inga?
Wasn’t she banned for being too librul?
@PaulCS
I read another story on Breitbart, and you just have to go read the comments! Oh, my head is hurting from laughing sooo hard. . . Samples:
Next reboot, Lassie starring a cat!
Next up: Dirty Harry starring Queen [Latifah].
Lesbians with angry vaginas—who wouldn’t pay to see that?
Why pay to watch angry women when you can watch Hillary and Elizabeth on YouTube for free?
I don’t get it, when did Idi Amin become a ghostbuster?
http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2016/07/20/thr-ghostbusters-reboot-may-haunt-sony/
Ohhh! I am swooning!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
@PaulCS
No, I hadn’t read it until you suggested it. Sooo, I read it and I have tears in my eyes from laughing sooo hard!
This, about Leslie Jones:
Patty is a two dimensional racist stereotype by even the most forgiving measure. Patty is the worst of the lot. The actress is spectacularly unappealing, even relative to the rest of the odious cast. But it’s her flat-as-a-pancake black stylings that ought to have irritated the SJWs. I don’t get offended by such things, but they should. Ghostbusters, the film acting as standard bearer for the social justice left, is full of female characters that are simply stand-ins for men plus a black character worthy of a minstrel show.
Ouch! Here is the link for others to read it. I passed over it a few days ago because I thought from the title it had something to do with pot smoking.
http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2016/07/18/milo-reviews-ghostbusters/
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky – say what you will, the boy can write a sentence. 🙂 BTW, he is leading a Gay Pride Parade down the center of the Muslim district of Stockholm, Sweden next week. Now that takes guts.