Congress, Free Speech

Free Speech Immunity: YouTube Bans Channels Airing Criticism of Vaccines

YouTube continued the expansion of corporate censorship on the Internet with the encouragement of leading Democratic leaders. The company has banned channels associated with anti-vaccine activists like Joseph Mercola and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Once again, rather than rebutting or refuting claims made by others, many sought to silence those with opposing views. YouTube will not allow people to hear views that do not comport with an approved range of opinions.  The move magnifies concerns that we are seeing the emergence of a new type of state media as private companies conduct censorship operations barred by the Constitution for the government to conduct directly. This move comes days after Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) asked Amazon to steer customers to “true” books on subjects like climate change to avoid their exposure to “disinformation.” It also follows YouTube censoring videos of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny before Russia’s parliamentary elections. The move helped Putin and his authoritarian government crack down on pro-Democracy forces.
The Google-owned site is now openly engaged in viewpoint regulation to force users to view only those sources that are consistent with the corporate agenda. Facebook banned misinformation on all vaccines seven months ago and Twitter regularly bans those questioning vaccines.

These companies are being encouraged by many on the left to expand censorship.

Faculty and editors are now actively supporting modern versions of book-burning with blacklists and bans for those with opposing political views. Columbia Journalism School Dean Steve Coll has denounced the “weaponization” of free speech, which appears to be the use of free speech by those on the right. So the dean of one of the premier journalism schools now supports censorship.

Free speech advocates are facing a generational shift that is now being reflected in our law schools, where free speech principles were once a touchstone of the rule of law. As millions of students are taught that free speech is a threat and that “China is right” about censorship, these figures are shaping a new society in their own intolerant images.

In one critical hearing, tech CEOs appeared before the Senate to discuss censorship programs. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey apologized for censoring the Hunter Biden laptop story, but then pledged to censor more people in defense of “electoral integrity.”

Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, however, was not happy. He was upset not by the promised censorship but that it was not broad enough.

He noted that it was hard to define the problem of “misleading information,” but the companies had to impose a sweeping system to combat the “harm” of misinformation on climate change as well as other areas. “The pandemic and misinformation about COVID-19, manipulated media also cause harm,” Coons said. “But I’d urge you to reconsider that because helping to disseminate climate denialism, in my view, further facilitates and accelerates one of the greatest existential threats to our world.”

Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal also warned that he and his colleagues would not tolerate any “backsliding or retrenching” by “failing to take action against dangerous disinformation.” He demanded “the same kind of robust content modification” from the companies – the new Orwellian term for censorship.

This is the face of censorship. As demanded, the companies are now sanitizing their sites to remove opposing views on these subjects. Rather than offer a free forum for the full debate on such issues, anti-free speech advocates have again prevailed in silencing those with opposing views.

119 thoughts on “Free Speech Immunity: YouTube Bans Channels Airing Criticism of Vaccines”

  1. America is under attack by a foreign power whose allies are corporate in nature such as the WEF. As explained by people like Michael Pillbury Red China’s communist central government formulated a plan to establish global control as their only viable means for survival. A plane known as the “100 year Marathon.” The actions of these corporate bodies are direct threats to the national security of the United States and constitute a direct invasion upon the civil rights of individuals which far outstrip their lawful rights as privately owned businesses since they are now effectively operating as parts of the government themselves. Government leaders must take action to remove the powers given to these corporations because they are now directly threatening the safety and security of the United States.

  4. Who can trust corporate media? Answer: They cannot be trusted. ABC censored President Obama’s recent comment while being interviewed on Good Morning America. This is what they cut out of President Obama’s interview: “On the identical time, we’re a nation state. We have now borders. The concept we will simply have open borders is one thing that … as a sensible matter, is unsustainable,”

    They censored Obama.

    I recently (again) read Orwell’s 1984. It reads like contemporary news. Orwell had an uncanny understanding of power and how power is wielded to control people. Much of this posturing, in my view, is about raw and unbridled power.

    1. There is a more fundimental problem than the one your article mentions.

      If the obstruction statute applies to acts of congress it is a facial violation of the first amendment for multiple reasons.

      There is absolutely no difference – with respect to this obstruction statute between 1/6 and the Kavanaugh protests – or ANY other protest endeavoring to dissuade congress from acting on anything.

      If there is a right to free speech, protest, assembly, petition government then this law is unconstitutional on its face with respect to congressional proceedings.

      1. John,

        I imagine a lot more problems may surface before it is over. One of those, as you said, is the failure to act against leftist protests during actual hearings. The law is the law only some of the time with these people.

    2. This is just the Collusion Delusion all over again.

      We were presented a NARATIVE by the left and the press.

      Increasingly the theme of many of Turley’s posts is the blinkered view that we are increasingly all subject to.

      I have been noting with respect to 1/6 from the start that shutting down the capital while congress was in session likely created the entire mess.

      The majority of the capital police were non-confrontational and respected the first amendment rights of protestors, but in a few specific places where the capital police themselves were agressive – violence resulted.

      There is still a lack of clarity as to whether the protestors started the violence at the west entrance or whether the Capital police did.
      We still need body cam footage from a capital police officer who allegedly violently confronted, knocked down kicked and killed an older adult protestor – several protestors who have been accused of assulting police claim they did nothing until this officer started kicking a protestor on the ground.

      The above is a reflection of a common problem regarding 1/6 – we do not actually know much of what happened beyond what the media and capital police chose to share with us.

      It is near certain that someone seeking to create the opposite narrative could cherry pick the available 1/6 video and recast it as a violent and unjustified action by congress and the capital police.

      One of the biggest false naratives is the nonsense that it was NOT legitimate for protestors to be there in the capital protesting the certification of the 2020 election.

      Even if the election had been completely conducted within the laws – which it was not.
      Even if there was no hint of fraud – which there is much more than a hint
      Even if Biden’s victory was unquestionable.

      It would still be a legitimate first amendment right for people to loudly and obnoxiously and threateningly assemble, protest, petition the government in the hope of persuading congress to refuse to certify the election.

      There is no some protests are legitimate others are not standard. In fact that very position is inherently a violation of the first amendment.
      Viewpoint discrimination is unconstitutional.

    3. “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.”

      – Henry David Thoreau
      __________________

      Civil disobedience as a protest that devolves into a riot, facilitated by accommodating and receptive guards, does not constitute “insurrection.”

      The communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats, RINOs) simply have no ability to be honest – they are nothing without hyperbole, prevarication and fraud.

  6. Winning strategy?

    Biden’s Approval Rating Hits New Low of 43%

    Biden’s rating down six points since August, 13 points since June
    Independents’ approval of Biden is 37%, down from 55% in June

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eight months after President Joe Biden’s inauguration, his job approval rating has fallen six percentage points to 43%, the lowest of his presidency. For the first time, a majority, 53%, now disapproves of Biden’s performance.

    Gallup Sept 22

  7. Not going to get into the government/ private entities censorship debate again.
    If you are getting you medical advice on a virus that has contributed to the deaths of millions, from YouTube, YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      1. No. I didn’t do that as a child and I don’t do that now. I knew better. That behavior would have gotten me a whack. Something that is sorely needed for children such as yourself today.

    2. Paul,

      Worth noting- https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/dr-danice-hertz-injured-pfizer-covid-vaccine

      When the government isn’t honest you look for information wherever it may be found but review it with caution.

      In an earlier thread I said it looked as if the Pfizer jab could cause cardiac problems. Anon ranted I had no solid evidence for that. But I had some evidence that cumulatively pointed to that side effect. In the middle of our dispute Pfizer issued an updated Fact Sheet that acknowledged the cardiac issue. Did it become real only when the government and Pfizer admitted it, or was I justified in using any sources I could find to reach the same probable conclusion weeks ahead of them?

      Don’t limit your sources of information to only official sources.

    3. If you are getting it from the CDC you are also an idiot.

      I would note that not only are there real experts aside fromt he less credible ones that Turley cites making the compelling case that one size fits all vaccination of the entire population is a stupid and dangerous approach, but the US left is just about the only group pushing for that.

      Putative expert groups not particularly friendly to the right are at odds with the US media, left, government.

      With few exceptions one size fits all solutions to ANYTHING are inherently WRONG.
      The worst disasters in human history occur when we mostly all do exactly the same thing.

      There are lots of people who would be wise to get vaccinated.
      There are some who should not.
      But for most people, like most things there are many factors and the right choice is NOT obvious,

      All of us should be making an informed decision and we should not be trusting a single source.

      CDC Data has so far proven to be pretty reliable.
      But CDC recomendations have been poor, and often self contradictory.

      Regardless you are an idiot if blindly follow ANY single source.

  8. “Once again, rather than rebutting or refuting claims made by others, many sought to silence those with opposing views.”

    Exactly! There needs to be counterpoint. Why hasn’t any MSM property invited those holding opposing viewpoints to discuss/debate both sides? If the side the MSM supports is confident in their beliefs, then what are they afraid of? Wanton and open censorship only drives people to believe that there are ulterior motives or forces at work.

    Why don’t we hear anything about the more than 15k deaths and hundreds of thousands of post -Covid jabs in the VAERS database?

    Here’s an important story that should be on the MSM but isn’t:
    ———–
    09/23/21
    Exclusive: Physician ‘Horribly Injured’ After Pfizer Vaccine Pleads With Top U.S. Public Health Officials for Help — and Gets None
    In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Dr. Danice Hertz said people like her who have been seriously injured by COVID vaccines are being dismissed or ignored, and because health officials won’t research their injuries and potential treatments, they have nowhere to turn.
    By Megan Redshaw

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/dr-danice-hertz-injured-pfizer-covid-vaccine/

    2. America’s Leaders are us right here, we just each need to try to lead where we feel we best can.

      Hey George, a friend copyed me in on a Great Song today, here it is.

    1. An unarmed woman aborted in a novel case of self-defense while she was in a prone position (essential a shot to the back). A riot (“disorder”) forced by summary withdrawal of an invitation, embedded anti-assembly instigators, and what was likely another instance of Whitmer Closet.

    2. Charge the hysterical and impulsive coward Michael Byrd with aggravated murder and a “hate crime” and sentence him to be Drawn and Quartered.

      Ashli Babbitt is the first American to be tried and sentenced to death by a racist, rogue cop for trespass.

    3. What was the other women’s name that Nancy Pelosi’s/ McConnell’s/etc., Insurrection/Sedition/Espionage/Coup 1/6/2021 Red/Rumed/Had Whacked that day?

      The videos are seeping out now.

  13. Thanks for a great article, Prof. Turley!!!!

    I believe I may have read every paper extant on the spike protein — there really aren’t that many around and have reached the conclusion that many in the medical industry are either insane or insanely stupid?! How could they possibly justify inducing the spike proteins into any humans?!?!?!

    A former CNN manager, now spokesperson for Novant Health, a Megan Rivers, claimed in firing hospital personnel who refused the spikevax, that 99% or greater of their personnel were vaxed!?

    Called their administrative offices but they were unable to prove such a claim.

    I wonder . .

  15. “screwtube” doing what it does best…censoring anything that does not fit their corporate fascist POV. They and twatter have been in bed with the leftist ilk running the blanco house in DC , and it shows. Australia , new Zealand have both gone fascist nuts on their people with the scamdemic. Canuckia is likely next with more oppressive goobermint to make their people bend to the goobermint mandates and laws.
    And in Amerika we have a senile puppet as a figurehead with unknown puppet masters gearing up for yet another covid scam surge chock full of mandates and or else’s because they are frustrated we don’t ALL bend the knee to their autocratic dogma.
    NPR was a chorus of clapping circus seals today about youtube smothering freedom of speech. Ah the drones got their soma ( and funding ) for towing the statist line of obey. Welkommen zu Amerika Komeraden… papeiren danke , Macht Schnell !!!!!!!!.

    1. PS ; Anything coming out of Danag Dick’s motuh …tis a lie !. Mr disinformation and captain stolen valor himself. Typical left fascist apparatchik.

      1. Phergus,

        I’m not sure why but of all the things that piss me off hardly anything is more then Danag Dick’s Stolen Valour!

        Why hasn’t he stepped down as the Disgraced Piece of Crap he is! Because those type of aholes have no Honor!

        People of CT likely should Bull Horn him/his financiers everywhere the are.

  16. Bogus Version Of Arizona Election Review Circulating

    Gateway Pundit Named As Host

    A doctored version of Cyber Ninjas’ draft report on the 2020 election contains false information, according to CEO Doug Logan.
    Logan, who led the ballot review for Arizona Senate Republicans, says he never recommended that Maricopa County’s 2020 election be decertified, which is included in an edited version of Logan’s report posted on far-right media outlet The Gateway Pundit.
    The edited version claims that “57,734 ballots with serious issues were identified in the audit” and, therefore, “the election should not be certified, and the reported results are not reliable.”

    The real results of Logan’s review did not claim an issue with that number of ballots, and did not show evidence of fraud. The hand count of ballots affirmed President Joe Biden’s win in the county.

    Logan’s final report raised questions about 53,305 ballots, although he notes multiple times in the report that there may be explanations for the discrepancies he found, affecting a fairly even split of Republican, Democratic and independent, undeclared or third-party voters.

    The county, for its part, offered explanations on social media as Logan presented the report to state Senate leaders on Friday.

    Edited from yesterday’s Arizona Republic

    https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/09/28/doctored-audit-report-2020-maricopa-county-election-contains-false-information-cyber-ninjas-ceo-says/5893164001/?fbclid=IwAR36Qij29heSb6rse7WV2FS5n0_4oz-1cNMk5vm_moe87ZjP03j_xmwxSL0
    …………………………………………………………………..

    False news and bogus medical studies have become the new norm. Yet Johnathan Turley believes free speech is more important than true facts. This type of thinking stems from recent views that ‘Facts are merely political and all of us should be free to choose our own facts’.

    1. Blumenthal picked his own facts. Re Vietnam. Not. What if the counter fact pointer routers had been censored?….what would be the truth?

      What if Sen Warren picked her own facts? Re Indian. What if counter fact pointer routers had been censored? …. What would be the truth?

    3. So what is it you think this means ?

      I have no idea what this “doctored” report says.

      I do however have reasonable familiarity with the ACTUAL report – and the claims by left wing nut media like WaPo that it proves Biden won or that there was no Fraud – are blatant lies.

      If you actually wish to honestly address what the AZ Audit did find, and what it did not find – we can do that.

      But if you wish to engage in nonsense like that of WaPo or this alleged doctored report that most have not heard of – unlike the WaPo story – then you are spreading “misinformation”

      Regardless, you do not seem to grasp the purpose of free speech.

      The reason we allow ALL voices to speak, is because that is the only reliable means to assure that the truth is spoken.

      Censorship often suppress falsehoods, but sometimes suppress the truth. It is not possible for censors to be right often enough that they do more good than harm.

      Further often it is the public expression of lies that increases our trust in the truth.

      Every censor in existance inherently beleives they are better than everyone else. They are better judges of the truth.

      That beleif is a REQUIREMENT for censorship.

      If you actually beleive that people are equal – which those on the left clearly do not, then you beleive their judgement as to what is true and what is not is equal to yours.

      You can not have equality and censorship.

      But then the ideology of the left is rife with self contradictions.

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