After the election, liberal pundits and media have attempted to rally the public in a shift from X to Bluesky, a smaller site that is viewed as a safe space for the left. I have been critical of the move as a retreat deeper into the liberal echo chamber after an election that showed how out-of-touch many of these writers were with the majority of voters. They would be better served engaging with a broader swath of public opinion. Today, one of the top Bluesky officials embraced Canadian-style speech controls and rejected more robust views of free speech as the model for the site.Bluesky has long been criticized as a site built on the concept of “safe spaces” in higher education for those triggered by opposing views. Many of those leaving Twitter long for the “good ole days” of when all social media platforms engaged in extensive censorship to exclude or marginalize opposing voices.This week, Aaron Rodericks, the head of trust and safety at Bluesky, confirmed the worst fears of the site. Bluesky has been hammered with complaints from conservatives and libertarians that they have been subject to not only death threats on the site but also blocked from posting.Some have demanded even more aggressive measures to block or suppress conservative or libertarian views deemed threatening or demeaning. Liberal pundits have heralded the site as allowing them to “breathe again” without hearing the type of opposing views allowed on X.
Rodericks espoused the type of anti-free speech rationalizations that are addressed in my recent book, The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.” He insisted that there are alternative views of free speech than the type of “absolutism” supported by figures like myself.
Rodericks juxtaposed what he called “free speech absolutism” against the more enlightened Canadian model, adding, “I think it just comes down to philosophies of free speech.”
He explained:
“Being Canadian shapes a lot of my perspective. There’s enough of the American perspective in the world on a day-to-day basis. For example, in the Canadian constitution… you have rights and freedoms, but they’re not unequivocal.”
It was a chilling reference for many in the free speech community since free speech is in a free fall in Canada. As we have previously discussed, there has been a steady criminalization of speech, including even jokes and religious speech, in Canada. The country has eviscerated the right to free speech and association.
Yet, that is apparently the model for Bluesky. Rodericks repeats the doublespeak of the anti-free speech movement in claiming that he just wants to create a space where all are welcomed but excluding those who are not welcomed:
“I’m glad that [critics] consider it a safe space and ideally it can be a safe space for them as well. The whole point of Bluesky is for it to be safe and welcoming to all users. I think the issue is some people are defining their identity by opposition to others and how well they can harass others and deny their existence. Bluesky may not be the right place for them.”
Not surprisingly, Rodericks used to work at trust and safety for Twitter before he was fired by Elon Musk. He has also sued Musk over a tweet. At issue is Musk’s response to the criticism of his firing Rodericks’s team by noting, “Oh you mean the ‘Election Integrity’ Team that was undermining election integrity? Yeah, they’re gone.”
That would seem clearly protected opinion under the First Amendment, but, of course, for the former censors of Twitter, it should not be allowed.
We have previously discussed the censorship standards at Twitter. For example, former Twitter executive Anika Collier Navaroli testified on what she repeatedly called the “nuanced” standard used by her and her staff on censorship. Toward the end of the hearing, she was asked about that standard by Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury (D., NM). Her answer captured precisely why Twitter’s censorship system proved a nightmare for free expression.
Navaroli then testified how she felt that there should have been much more censorship and how she fought with the company to remove more material that she and her staff considered “dog whistles” and “coded” messaging. She said that they balanced free speech against safety and explained that they sought a different approach:
“Instead of asking just free speech versus safety to say free speech for whom and public safety for whom. So whose free expression are we protecting at the expense of whose safety and whose safety are we willing to allow to go the winds so that people can speak freely.”
Rep. Stansbury responded by saying “Exactly.”
The statement was reminiscent of that of former CEO Parag Agrawal. After taking over as CEO, Agrawal pledged to regulate content as “reflective of things that we believe lead to a healthier public conversation.” Agrawal said the company would “focus less on thinking about free speech” because “speech is easy on the internet. Most people can speak. Where our role is particularly emphasized is who can be heard.”
The same standard seems to be at play at Bluesky as controversial figures like Rodericks decide which views are deemed harassing or amount to a denial of the existence of others. They will be shown, Canadian style, why “Bluesky may not be the right place for them.”
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
Turley’s gone full-MAGA–trying to pretend that Trump’s lies about precipitious drops in the cost of groceries and housing weren’t the explanation for his “victory”: “I have been critical of the move as a retreat deeper into the liberal echo chamber after an election that showed how out-of-touch many of these writers were with the majority of voters. They would be better served engaging with a broader swath of public opinion.” Even Republicans admit that the lie about immediately bringing down the cost of groceries played a big role–remember the demonstrations with the piles of groceries? Voters ate it up–pun intended. Republicans take advantage of the fact that most voters don’t know much about how economics work–just like you, Turley, take advantage of the fact that most MAGAs don’t understand the law and believe the slop put out by MAGA media.
Turley, how can you pretend there is a “liberal echo chamber” when you work for one of the biggest MAGA echo chambers? More people voted for Harris in 2024 that voted for Trump in 2016. Trump actually received less than half of the popular vote. Where do you get off pretending that Democrats are “out of touch”? Harris ran a clean campaign. Trump lied, fellated a microphone, talked about Arnold Palmer’s genitals, called Harris names, accused her of being “stupid”, and promised retribution, all while he lied about Project 2025 after polls proved that this is not popular with voters. Now, he’s appointing Project 2025 authors and advocates, not to mention totally unqualified and unethical, in some cases, nominees.
@Gigi
😂😂😂
Man, you are funny. Hilarious! Keep it up, the laughing is good for me, it’s good for all of us. 😂😂 Have you considered taking your act on the road?
She wasn’t wrong.
“She wasn’t wrong.”
George, you’re wrong in believing her telling different versions of your lies in the same hypocritical manner is a great success, as are you.
Massive failure there, Georgie. You should have learned that from the abject failure of your campaign of lies in last month’s election results
What’s right, is that you’re both abject failures in your belief that you’re actually credible and persuasive.
Wouldn’t you and Gigi feel much more at home on a permanent Tinder date over on the Democrat Bluesky Borg?
Old Airborne Dog
Airblown Puppy, is it windy when you jump?
If I see george or Gigi in the “says” line I just keep scrolling
That’s why Starride is in the “says” line under this “Gigi” comment, because you “just kept scrolling.”
Gigi’s pronouns are Svelaz/Dennis
“She wasn’t wrong.”
The better statement is “What is she right about ?”
Nothing.
James,
Right? Sad part is she believes her own lies. There was a poll showing the majority of American’s to include Democrats felt the country was heading in the wrong direction under the Biden admin. We all knew it. We saw it. We knew Biden was on the mental decline since 2020. It was obvious. Then we got Bidenflation which is costing the average American something like $7,600 extra a year just to maintain the same standard of living. And for many American’s Bidenflation is pushing them behind their standard of living. Once it was overwhelmingly obvious of Biden’s decline, the DNC kicked him to the curb without so much as a primary for Democrats to vote on who they wanted on the ticket. They just installed Harris like some third world banana republic. She clearly did not have anything to offer the American people. So, of course Trump won the electoral college and the popular vote and the Republicans won the House and the Senate. Quite the rebuke for the Democrat party.
UF – where are you getting the 7600 number from ? I am not challenging it, just looking for a source.
The number I am aware of is Trump raised family spendable income 4500/yr, and Biden reduced it by 3500 – but that is a circa 2022 number.
I would note that inflation by definition lowers the average standard of living.
Trump lied, fellated a microphone, talked about Arnold Palmer’s genitals
Oh my, Gigi! The emotional horror you must feel!
Any particular reason you aren’t offended by President Biden actually screwing his daughter in the shower? In your street vernacular, “putting the nuts to her”?
Or President Biden watching his son do a replay of what daddy did, and put the nuts to his his daughter in law and turning her into a drug addict with his approval? Before the dead son’s body was cold in the ground?
Gigi, how about being offended that the incest with daughter Ashley turned her into a drug addict and sexual pervert herself who went on to act as the son’s pimp?
Moral Majority that you are, you still don’t have a clue that any of that happened?
Gigi, You have a personal morals problem. Your problem is you don’t have any morality, you just put it on as a costume when it fits you when you come here to perform.
And where credibility is concerned, again in your back alley vernacular, your shit is weak.
Gigi,
Your claims are absurd. Elections are won for a variety of reasons – it is surprising this election was even close.
Voters are angry about grocery prices, about housing prices. about mass illegal immigration, about endless wars, About forced imposition of woke nonsense.
But there is one way in which lies actually influenced this election – and that your be YOUR lies, YOUR lawfare
The results of the election are clear – more and more and now a majority of voters do not beleive your lies anymore.
That is not going to change.
I am in agreement with you that left wing nuts should not retreat to Bluesky.
What they SHOULD do is learn economics, learn real democracy, learn the real way that self government works.
What they should learn to do is lie ab awful lot less.
But I do not think that is happening.
YOU have demonstrated total imperviousness to facts, logic reason.
So if the left is intent on self destruction – do it right out in the open – not in some left wing nut bubble like Bluesky.
you are going to fail regardless – so fail spectacularoy out in the open in public.
PLEASE double and tripple down on the idiotic nonsense.
PLEASE guarantee that no one with an IQ above dirt ever votes democratic.
PLEASE do NOT crawl back into your echo chamber where the stupidity of your ideas is not exposed to significant public scrutiny.
Jonathan: What makes comedy great? It’s because a comedian can talk about the frightening state of American politics and make people laugh. That was on full display Saturday night on SNL–that just turned 50 years of production. Hard to believe SNL has been around that long.
Anyway, Chris Rock came back as the SNL host and he didn’t disappoint. He spent time talking about DJT and Elon Musk. Rock said this time DJT is “not playing around” about his mass deportation plans. That’s because “Trump is working with the richest African American in the world…that’s right, nobody knows how to get rid of people like a South African”. Rock added: “Oh, he’s serious. Trump is not playing. He got Elon Musk…they’re going to put ’em [the undocumented] in a rocket ship. Call it SpaceMex”.
Don’t you just love Chris Rock and SNL? I hope they are around for the next 50 years. Unless DJT and Musk have their way. DJT especially hates comedy or parody–especially when it’s at his expense. With all his lawsuits— against Bob Woodward, ABC and now a pollster and the Des Moines Register might we see DJT and Musk file a lawsuit against Chris Rock and NBC? Certainly a possibility because DJT wants to silence the broadcast media and the press. As Rock says–this time DJT is “not playing around”.
@Dennis
YOU make comedy great, Dennis, and I thank you for it. 👍🏼
Top Border Patrol Union Endorses Tulsi Gabbard For Intel Post As She Courts Capitol Hill
https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-border-patrol-union-endorses-tulsi-gabbard-for-intel-post-as-she-courts-capitol-hill
Dennis: I thought Chris Rock’s SNL gig was funny.
Chris Rock is very funny. And he’s said some funny stuff about Blacks too. Even in front of them. Perhaps you forgot about Will slapping Chris on live TV? And Biden. And lots of other things and people.
I regret that you are unable to understand what humor is.
If you said something funny about Trump, I would laugh.
But instead, everyday, you come here seeking visibility and using up someone else’s blog space, apparently just to let us know that you’re staying on top of stories wholly unrelated to the topic herein,
And Gigi, like a high school girlie, comes here everyday fixated on sexual matters, wanting to let everyone know that she is cognizant on matters of “fellatio,” and wanting to focus on what she believes Trump did to E. Jean Carroll.
And George comes here every day to tell us how superior his knowledge and opinions are compared to Turley’s, who George finds as “disingenuous” and “dishonest” and guilty of intentionally avoiding certain facts that George believes in his wisdom as important, and how other commenters here simply lack “reading comprehension” skills (even though George didn’t seem to understand the difference between “infer” and “imply”).
What I find funny is that all three of you bite the hand that feeds you and provides you with a space to be heard, without reward, compliment, or acknowledgement from you. Funny as in amusing, oxymoronic, ironic, indeed, maybe even sad.
yours truly, lin.
@lin: What I find funny is that all three of you bite the hand that feeds you and provides you with a space to be heard, without reward, compliment, or acknowledgement from you.
Lin: that is the most awesome, gentle, kind, civil – and full beast mode – savaging of The Three Biden Stooges who use our host’s blog as though belonged to them in order to Speak Their Truths to Professor Turley that I can imagine.
There’s something inherently mentally defective for all three to come here daily to post their political performance art to the Professor who doesn’t even acknowledge they exist. And an audience that jeers, mocks, and almost universally holds them in scorn and contempt.
Their arrival here each day is greeted the same way that a Catholic girls’ school would welcome the arrival of the Clinton and Obama’s bestie, Harvey Weinstein.
Why are they not on Bluesky, Rachel Maddow’s blog, The View, etc? There they would instead be haled as courageous warriors Doing God’s Work by Speaking Their Truths!
You would think that at least one psychiatry school in one of the Ivy League universities would find it a worthy career challenge to assemble an intervention team to try sorting out the soup sandwich that is the minds of The Three Biden Stooges.
Old Airborne Dog
“. . . or acknowledgement from you.”
Don’t you know? Royalty doesn’t show appreciation. You, the peasant-provider, bow for the honor of Royalty deigning to accept your gift.
“. . . George didn’t seem to understand . . .”
Of the difference between a cite that supports his position and one that contradicts it.
P.S. Well said.
Dennis.
I like Rock – but I did not see SNL – regardless, so Chris Rock is telling you to take what Trump said to win the election seriously
DUH ?
Day in, day out you and Gigi and George and … come here are tell us all Trump is a pants on fire liar.
Yet you are pushing an SNL monologue that says LOUDLY – that Trump is NOT LYING.
Can you atleast make up your mind ?
Why would Trump sue Rock for saying Trump is going to deport illegals ? That is NOT defamation, that is repeating What Trump said.
It is repeating why Trump voters voted for him. and why left wing nuts voted against him.
It is not defamatory – it is litterally saying that Trump is a politician whose word you can take to the bank.
Rock’s monologue is the opposite of a joke.
In fact the humor is because the joke is on YOU.
Matt Gaetz seems a little perturbed by the imminent release of the ethics report.
He tweeted out this morning that he regularly sent money to women he dated and that there is nothing wrong with that.
I believe the technical term for such arrangements is prostitution.
Actually, it is pretty sad that he admits that the only way he could get a woman to go out on a date with him is to pay her.
I’m told that he has to tie a pork chop around his neck to get his dog to play with him.
Very sad.
I’m told that he has to tie a pork chop around his neck to get his dog to play with him.
We’re told that Anonymous Democrats threw their pink pussy hats away and decided to vote for President Daddy-Daughter Inappropriate Incest Showers as soon as they learned The Big Guy had to force his daughter Ashley into those mutual showers while paying for his crackhead kid’s Russian whores.
Change our minds on that. Anonymously, of course…
Old Airborne Dog
Apparently his social life could best be described as a business proposition.
Apparently his social life could best be described as a business proposition.
Obviously the sexually deviant social life at the White House during Biden White House Crime LLC could most generously be termed a Pornhub production, starring the senior and junior members of that firm.
Rape, incest, parents paying for their child’s underage prostitutes, children screwing their sister in law, children working as pimps for siblings, drug addicts everywhere, cocaine randomly distributed around the place, creepy old men fondling other peoples’ little children… they had it all!
That has all the elements of one of those sexy books like “Hustler” or “Gender Queer” that Democrats want in kiddy’s school libraries!
What say you, cowardly Anonymous Democrat? Anonymously of course…
Old Airborne Dog
Actually, it is pretty sad that he admits that the only way he could get a woman to go out on a date with him is to pay her.
Why isn’t it equally sad in Anonymous Democrat eyes that The First Pardoned Felon Son was such a magnate of capitalism – and yet had to use his baby sister as his pimp to procure prostitutes to have sex with him?
Or how about this: isn’t it sad that the senior partner in Biden White House Crime LLC had to write checks to pay for his the junior partner’s Russian whores?
What’s far more pathetic – but somewhat amusing – is cowardly Anonymous Democrats who get their tiny rocks off posting about Gaetz’ relationship with women.
Screaming “Look! A Gaetz squirrel!” as they ignored and voted for President Daddy-Daughter Inappropriate Incest Showers raping his teenage daughters.
The qualities of Anonymous Democrat coward’s superior morality never fails to leave its mark with every deuce they drop here.
Old Airborne Dog
Well you should look at the photos of Hunter that came out of china through Taiwan,,,, the girls were no older than 13.
I believe the technical term for such arrangements is prostitution.
I believe the technical term for arrangements where Ashley Biden procures those prostitutes for The First Pardoned Felon Son (formerly known as The Crackhead Kid) is “pimping”?
Is that correct or not?
Anonymous, given your professed personally earned expertise with deviate sexuality, what is the technical term for Daddy’s who repeatedly screw their teenage daughter during fun-filled ‘Inappropriate Showers’?
Normal Americans would call that ‘incest’ and ‘rape’ (the First Babysitter never had a clue it was going on????)
Do cowardly Anonymous Democrats at least call such sexual abuse of an unwilling child by Daddy Biden, your Father Of The Year award winner, ‘sexual child abuse’?
My guess is that cowardly Anonymous Democrats only concern themselves with anything other than mutual voluntary sex is when it doesn’t concern President Daddy-Daughter Inappropriate Incest Showers, his rape victims, the women who complained he ‘inappropriately’ touched them when he was chosen as Obama’s VP, etc.
The same response for every other sexual deviant in the Biden family, both the children and his brother.
I believe the technical term for political speech displaying a complete lack of morality is Democrat Hypocrisy.
Old Airborne Dog
Interesting response.
Wholehearted defense of Gaetz.
So what you are saying is that sexual misconduct is fine as long as it is committed by a Republican.
So what you are saying is that sexual misconduct is fine as long as it is committed by a Republican.
Interesting you would claim you saw that in my posts that pointed out your hypocrisy. Interesting that you didn’t quote that supposed support of Gaetz to throw in my face.
So yes, interesting response indeed, cowardly Anonymous Democrat. Easy to paraphrase your favorite cowardly Anonymous Democrat for my response.
Wholehearted defense of your years of supporting Biden crime family rape, incest, and sexual abuse of children. It’s just not an individual – it’s a Democrat family affair with all involved!
So what you are saying is that you will ALWAYS support and vote for rape, incest, pimping, and sexual abuse: as long as they can assure you it is a Democrat running for president who is doing it.
Old Airborne Dog
“So what you are saying is that sexual misconduct is fine as long as it is committed by a Republican.”
What is being said – which those of you on the left tell us constantly is that the private conduct of consenting adults is not your business.
If it is consensual and does not directly harm others then it is NOT misconduct.
Did Gaetz claim drugs and prostitutes as tax deductible ?
Did he accept money in return for governmet favors ?
Matt Gaetz seems a little perturbed by the imminent release of the ethics report.
Are Anonymous cowardly Democrat acolytes of President Mr. Ten Percent perturbed that the incoming Attorney General will release both the recordings and the full package of criminal evidence gathered by the specially chosen Special Counsel who gave his boss, The Pedophile In Chief, a Clinton-style probation period of protection from indictment?
After all, that probation status protecting The Big Guy from indictment and prosecution is only good as long as the Biden Attorney General that provided the last four years of cover and defense is in office.
Not the slightest bit perturbed at the thought of that, cowardly Anonymous Democrat?
Old Airborne Dog
ATS I have no idea what Gaetz tweeted – nor do I beleive that you do, or if you did, that you would be an honest reporter.
Regardless, Nearly all the allegations regarding Gaetz are private conduct and not your ow my or the ethics committees business.
A DOJ that hates Gaetz and would love to nail his scalp tot he wall found nothing to prosecute.
I probably would try to stop my daughter from dating Gaetz, but I would be even more opposed to her gettting anywhere near a biden or Harris.
As to whether Gaetz gave women money – SO WHAT ?
It is not governments business what consenting adults do in private.
So I have heard from the left over and over.
Honestly – can Gaetz even hold a candle to Hunter Biden ? Or the incestuous hair sniffer that is his father ?
The American left-wing elite is beginning to look like a cult. They adhere closely to a set of quasi-religious beliefs, they retreat to private spaces, walling out dissent, and they use “health” as one of the bases for their isolation. This roughly fits the definitions of a cult. See, e.g., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult —
“Cult
. . .
2 a: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (such as a film or book)
. . .
a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
3. a system of religious beliefs and ritual
4 : formal religious veneration : worship
5 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator, health cults.”
“Public Safety?” Exactly the phrase the radicals of the French Revolution used to send innocent people to the guillotine via the Committee of Public Safety. Let the “Oceania” left have their echo chamber. They are only distancing themselves further from liberty loving people who helped decide this election. The left’s only hope is to again manufacture the 20-25 million extra “votes” they did in 2020.
Jonathan: As predicted DJT went ballistic over NY SC Justice Merchan’s ruling yesterday that DJT is not entitled to presidential immunity from the 34-count criminal conviction. Here is just a portion of DJT’s post showing he has really lost his mind:
“BREAKING: In a completely illegal, psychotic order, the deeply conflicted corrupt, biased, and incompetent acting Justice Juan Merchan has completely disrespected the United States Supreme Court,…But even without immunity, this illegitimate case is nothing but a Rigged Hoax…”
I won’t quote all of DJT’s deranged post but you get the idea. But one part of the post caught my eye and this part might appeal to you:
“I am the only Political Opponent in in American History not allowed to defend myself in the Alvin Bragg trial–a despicable First Amendment Violation”…and, “according to Legal Scholars, including Jonathan Turley…” the trial was a “nonexistent case, barred by the Statute of Limitations, and should never have been brought…”
Just few FACT CHECKS: You can’t call Merchan’s 40 page ruling “psychotic”. It is a well reasoned analysis of the facts and the law. And DJT was not denied his either his First Amendment rights or his right to counsel. Todd Blanche and Emil Bove represented DJT through out the trial. And DJT had an opportunity to testify but he refused. Can’t blame that on Justice Merchan. And, the case was not barred by the Statute of Limitations. Finally, all your legal scholarship didn’t help DJT much, did it?
But DJT got one thing right. He is the first person to go into the WH as a “convicted felon”. That’s definitely a first in all of American history!
That case will never stand up.
And the principals prosecuting these criminal cases must not be allowed to act with impunity and must pay dearly for the usurpation of power they do not possess and the abuse of the power they wield illicitly.
Trump will be the first convicted felon to hold the office of the president. What an honor.
He claims his conviction must be dismissed because he’s the president elect and he has presidential immunity from the verdict. But, he’s not president yet. Weird.
Trump will be the first convicted felon to hold the office of the president. What an honor.
What would you call the unindicted felon who ordered his employee to grant him temporary probation rather than indict him, President Daddy Daughter Inappropriate Incest Showers, aka The Big Guy?
You repeatedly voted and defended that. Do you consider that a personal honor on your part? 12 years total of rape, incest, drug abuse, child abuse, 170+ Suspicious Activity Reports filed by banks and ignored by Obama concerning bribes and influence peddling?
What an honor to be able to say you supported that every day it went on!
And they/dem know it.
J
Dennis McIntyre wrote, “But DJT got one thing right. He is the first person to go into the WH as a “convicted felon”. That’s definitely a first in all of American history!”
The convictions are unconstitutional and anyone with a shred of respect for the Constitution and critical thinking knows this to be true.
It was Trump Deranged morally bankrupt political hacks that intentionally weaponized the justice system with their “show me the man and I’ll find you the crime” mentality and actually had to fabricate unwritten laws and conduct themselves unethically in court by violating Trumps individual rights to convict him. This unconstitutional conviction will be overturned on appeal. This is the opinion of the Constitutional legal scholar Alan Dershowitz and I completely agree with him.
The morally bankrupt hacks that prosecuted and violated Donald Trumps rights will eventually have to pay for their unconstitutional actions.
“Blogosphere” should be open without constraints other than physical threat, defamation, fraud, and terrorism as just a few examples; it is after all a soapbox to stand on and nothing more. Moderation requires a referee!
Tony Kinnett
@TheTonus
Bluesky’s activity continues to decline. Down ~5 million total likes and ~2 million posts per day since the beginning of December. Total number of accounts followed per day has decreased by ~500k.
(per Bluesky’s API)
1:10 PM · Dec 17, 2024
https://x.com/TheTonus/status/1869082844049645920
* Censorship as in Mead college? Just censor and lose history incapable then of learning by error?
The censorship of history itself is notable and as it continues gives progressives the edge. Isn’t that the true liars’ game? There is no truth in it.
The Prime Minister is a shining example of a Tyrant. You need look no further than the Trucker issue. Trucker’s where fighting for a Nature Right prior to stacking up Rig’s to demonstrate their disdain for the governmental draconian measures being enforced upon them.
Regarding Blue Sky’s, there is now a dark cloud over Canada, will the Canadians’ surrender to Tyranny or not?
I haven’t tried BlueSky and probably won’t.
What if a political discussion app set forth and enforced ground-rules disallowing ad-hominem forms of argument, and used AI to filter out violating comments? The rationale would be to advance thinking on complex problems, encouraging a focus on ideas while upholding norms of civility. The objective is productive dialog.
That’s what JT wanted for Res Ipsa Loquitur when it first was started (see The Civility Rule).
Would a site moderated toward that goal, open to only civilized discourse be an encroachment on free speech? Or, a rule disallowing anonymous posting? Since we’re not talking about government regulation, but rather privately run web apps, these are experiments to be tried.
The sweet spot for public square freedom is open-minded engagement with civility. It lies between the dystopian bookends of rage-inspired, unproductive, performative diatribe on one end, and timid, conformist, taboo-laden groupthink on the other end. Nobody has yet solved this challenge with 100% algorithmic filtering. Will AI come to the rescue? Will it muster the fine-tuned human judgment needed to function as a productive conversation moderator?
Pbinca, while Turley’s blog may have initially aimed to foster civil discourse among its participants, the realization of that goal heavily relies on the strict enforcement of established rules. Unfortunately, this enforcement appears to be lacking. Ironically, if Turley were to implement rigorous moderation practices, he would find himself in a situation comparable to that of Bluesky, which has a reputation for proactive rule enforcement. Turley has inadvertently boxed himself into a difficult position by labeling the moderation of disruptive elements—such as toxic users, trolls, personal attacks, and unwarranted insults—as censorship. This stance has significant implications for the quality of discussions on his platform.
As a result, one does not often find qualified legal professionals or substantive conversations that display genuine disagreement conducted respectfully on his platform. In contrast, Bluesky has established and actively enforced its community guidelines, ensuring that users who engage in disruptive behavior—particularly those who seek to provoke or derail conversations—are removed from the platform. These individuals often respond to their removal with claims of censorship, despite having agreed to the rules upon signing up.
This phenomenon is not unique to Turley’s blog; similar challenges were faced by Twitter in its early days. When Twitter began enforcing its rules more stringently, many users expressed outrage, feeling that their voices were being stifled. However, a closer examination revealed that the platform’s enforcement was often inequitable. Critics frequently accused it of exhibiting bias against conservative viewpoints. In reality, a significant number of the users who were flagged for rule violations and contributed to the platform’s toxic environment were often from conservative circles. This situation has led to a decline in the overall user experience on X (formerly Twitter), prompting many to seek alternatives like Bluesky, where a commitment to rule enforcement has created a more positive and respectful atmosphere for discussion.
I am going to attempt to engage in wokespeak, please help me s@@tlibs.
There should be no free speech for ‘nazis’! And a ‘nazi’ is anyone who questions a leftist, progressive, LGBTQ view of the world.
And of course we support the 1st amendment but there must be guardrails to protect the public from hate or misinformation.
How did I do s@@tlibs?
antonio
That’s going to get at least one Anonymous Democrat Nazis here from their New Hitler Youth wing claiming that show’s you’re a Nazi.
There’s a reason you provide a username and they don’t. Democrat Nazis are worried a relative or an employer will recognize them in their posts.
Old Airborne Dog
Dear Mr. Turley, I greatly appreciate “Old Man from Kansas” with his very insightful comment this morning. He is right; there was nowhere to turn to hear a differing point of view. I well remember the hatred coming from the music on the radio to the slanted t.v. programs playing back then. I first learned of the conservative take on life through CNN. Yes, I am very thankful for Fox News as I am able to hear both sides of an idea. I do not hear hatred from their various hosts as one does from both MSNBC and CNN.
It seems X users or those mocking Bluesky or Threads envy Bluesky’s increasing popularity and relevance. X has been losing value ever since Musk bought it. To date, X has lost nearly 80% of its value, and ad revenue has decreased by a whopping $4.9 Billion. That’s not a recipe for success. The free market prefers Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon for a better user experience.
It’s also amusing that X is still referred to as “X formerly Twitter” every time someone posts on X formerly Twitter. It seems to be a running joke in the media to keep referring to it that way after two years of the brand changing to “X.”
t’s also amusing that X is still referred to as “X formerly Twitter” every time someone posts…
Except on those occasions when they don’t.
It seems X users…
Bwahahahahaha!
“To date, X has lost nearly 80% of its value, and ad revenue has decreased by a whopping $4.9. Billion.“
X is private. How do you know its value? You do not; Just like Judge Moron, who thought MAL was worth $19 Million, you act like a dummy while proving you are.
It is over; Trump is President, or it seems that way since all the Biden administration can do is react and try to destroy America to make Trump look bad. That is all Biden is doing. The rest of the world knows it is over for Biden. He is non-functional as you are, starting when you were born.
S. Meyer,
“X is private. How do you know its value?”
I can determine its value based on the insights of economists and Wall Street analysts who track company valuations. They point out that X has been losing value. While X is a private entity, it has investors who invested with the hope of seeing a return on their investment as its value increases. The fact that it has lost nearly 80% of its value since the initial investment indicates that these investors will not be getting their money back anytime soon. Collectively, they have already lost $24 billion since 2022.
Your misunderstanding is apparent. Judge Engoron did not claim that Mar-a-Lago is worth $19 million; that valuation comes from the city. Judge Engoron simply reported the estimate made by the city’s tax assessment office. He was not arbitrarily assigning that amount. Surely, you understand who is responsible for property tax assessments, right?
@George: I can determine its value based on the insights of economists and Wall Street analysts who track company valuations.
Here’s George yet again: the third leg of the fetid stool known as the The Democrat Three Stooges.
Now telling us that he knows the value of X because Robert Reich and the rest of his carefully selected renowned financial giants who spent the last FOUR YEARS assuring George Bidenomics was an incredible success are now telling George that X is a failure.
Your misunderstanding is apparent.
Wrong – completely the opposite George. The misunderstanding is all yours: your psychotic belief that you have the slightest shred of credibility with either your host who you troll and insult every day, or the remainder of the audience here.
You are the prefect poster child for Dunning-Kruger effect on display: minimal competence accompanied by high self-confidence in your opinion and analysis. As always, because you overestimate your mental competence and subject matter knowledge.
Surely you must ask yourself once in a while: why do I flex and pose in a blog where they treat my daily arrival as though they noticed the smell of dog shyte in the room? Maybe I should post instead on Bluesky where I would be revered and welcomed? Or maybe The View has an opening for a Democrat birthing person?
Old Airborne Dog
“I can determine its value based on the insights of economists and Wall Street analysts who track company valuations.”
You must be a moron like the judge who thought MAL was worth $19M. Is Musk selling X? No. Are any of those people buying XS? No. Have any of those people examined the books and growth potential? No.
The range of the so-called experts for the value of MAL was $19M-$150B. Do you note how widespread the opinion is? That is because the so-called experts aren’t expert enough to predict the future. Take note Trump paid $8 M and $2 M for the furnishings. He knew what it was worth. Your experts didn’t.
” Judge Engoron did not claim that Mar-a-Lago is worth $19 million;”
He did and used that example of $19 M to show his uninformed belief that Trump overvalued his assets.
The whole thing was stupid and you are a moron.
Jonathan: Millions are fleeing Musk’s X for Bluesky and other platforms. X has lost 2.7 million active users in 2 months. Bluesky got 2.5 million of those who decided X was no longer for them. That’s a drop of 8.4% just since October. Why are users fleeing X?
It’s pretty simple. Those on X who are critical of Elon for spending $250 million to get DJT reelected are finding their posts are either blocked or they are met with all sorts hate speech and even death threats. X has become a cesspool for transphobia, homophobia, antisemitism and neo-Nazi propaganda. Who really wants to be associated with that?
And this is why major advertisers will still not place ads on X. And the exodus is not confined to major journalists or other public figures. It’s happening worldwide. German football clubs, like Hamburg’s St. Pauli and Werder Bremen have left X saying it is now a “hate machine”. The exodus from X is now contagious.
So it’s bizarre you would attack Bluesky because you claim it engages in “censorship”. Elon Musk does that every day on his platform. Yet you have never complained about Elon attempts to silence his or DJT’s critics.
Isn’t this just a “free speech” issue? Aren’t people entitled to join a platform of their preference? If millions prefer Bluesky over X isn’t that their right? In the marketplace of ideas people gravitate to platforms where they feel comfortable. I would think you would want to encourage that. I guess not.
Canada announces new border rules following Trump tariff threat
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx5p41696po
Wishful thinking.
Elon Musk fired 80% of the Twitter staff (No more remote cushy jobs). He also cleared out millions and millions of fake “bot”accounts.
He is the richest man in the world. He is extraordinarily smart and I would assume he has a definite plan for X.
The same thing will happen with government contractors who have been living on the fat of taxpayer dollars and the gross incompetence of the U.S. government overspending.
Dennis McIntyre, you hit the nail on the head! It is indeed puzzling that Turley has taken to criticizing Bluesky, especially considering that it offers a far better user experience compared to X. One of Bluesky’s standout features is its commitment to enforcing rules around civility, which Turley has dishonestly labeled as censorship of conservative views and voices. This accusation seems contradictory, particularly since Turley is an outspoken advocate for civility and respectful discourse, encouraging disagreement to happen in a civil manner.
It’s fascinating to observe that Turley ridicules Bluesky for fostering an environment that genuinely promotes meaningful discussions and civil dialogue while disregarding the chaotic and often toxic atmosphere prevalent on X. This stance feels incredibly perplexing, as it overlooks the myriad of issues that come with unregulated discourse on X. The contrast between the two platforms raises necessary questions about what it means to uphold standards of engagement and the responsibility that comes with promoting healthy conversation and free speech online. Bluesky’s effort to create a constructive space for dialogue should be lauded rather than dismissed.
Jesse Singal: Bluesky Has a Death Threat Problem
“It was supposed to be a gentler, left-wing alternative to X. My grim experience proves that just isn’t the case.”
Nothing says a better experience than death threats and doxxing.
https://www.thefp.com/p/jesse-singal-bluesky-has-a-death-threat-problem
@Bluesky’s Aaron Rodericks: “Being Canadian shapes a lot of my perspective…
Aaron Rodericks: meet the Canadian perspective of your fellow Canadians, Kash Patel the new FBI Director and Elon Musk of Trump’s DOGE. Perhaps you have a future meeting with both of them during upcoming committee hearings in the GOP House or Senate!
That Canadian perspective you share with Canada’s Prime Minister Racist Black Face, the son that Obama never had, might look great to your fellow Marxist fascists on both sides of the border.
But up in Canada Trudeau is desperately scrambling to try and prevent his minority rule party from being completely wiped out in next year’s election (if his minority government survives that long), while his own politicians are beginning to plead with Trudeau to get out.
Two days ago Trudeau’s Deputy Prime Minister and his Finance Minister (the Liberal’s expected next Prime Minister)resigned not just those posts, but completely withdrew from Trudeau’s cabinet. She’s also an elitist Marxist kid as Trudeau is – but has the desperate survival instincts of a rat.
Fun fact about Bluesky and that Trudeau ‘Canadian perspective’: Trudeau’s first campaign to become Canada’s Prime Minister was wrapped around a promise of ‘Economic Blue Skies” that would result from his first deficit budget. He then spent Canada into the hole as though he was Obama, the father he never had.
Perhaps Aaron Rodericks will find more longevity in his career at Blueskys than his fellow Canadian Marxist Trudeau is facing with his.
Old Airborne Dog
Here is my experience on BlueSky:
The things I post on my own profile are left alone. With very few exceptions, whenever I post a comment directly challenging something a progressive has written I usually get blocked in very short order.
I have noticed that BlueSky really isn’t the ideological social media bubble that it was advertised to be and that’s because there are a lot of non progressives that chose to join the platform and pierce that ideological bubble. It seems to me that BlueSky is not kicking off the non-progressive posters for their non-progressive free speech. So, since progressives aren’t getting the ideological bubble they wanted out of BlueSky, I think they’ll likely migrate back to Twitter aka X and just block more people on that platform. In the end I think they’ll likely either stop using that kind of social media or drastically reduce how much time they spend on line and search for another ideological bubble to crawl in.
I think the BlueSky is an anti-Twitter, anti-Musk, anti-free speech, progressive bubble was nothing but social media hype and an intentional ploy to suck progressives into joining and naturally non-progressives followed suit. Someone probably made a LOT of money by creating this false facade progressive ideological bubble. Progressives should boycott the platform for its bait & switch.
Did you get blocked by Bluesky or by the person you challenged? This distinction is important because if the person you challenged has blocked you, it doesn’t mean that Bluesky is censoring you; it means that the individual you were conversing with has chosen to do so. The platform allows users to block accounts, which helps prevent trolls from dominating a conversation.
So, it’s not Bluesky that is blocking you; it’s the person you are challenging or conversing with. You have more control over who can disrupt your thread or conversation. This feature seems to be more effective than relying solely on Bluesky’s moderation, unless the situation is severe enough for an account to be permanently banned due to serious violations of the terms of service.
I saw you have your own blog and I assume you also have the ability to block users who you deem unfit to post on your blog. It’s the same thing on Bluesky except it’s individuals who can block your account from their conversations if they deem you to be a troll or overly accusatory or whatever.
Blocked by individuals.
Yup George, I know how it all works.
Dear Mr. Turley, these folks will end up as a circular firing squad as they will try to outdo each other to see who will dare to go further left than the last comment. This reminds me of when Paul Soglin was running for mayor in his later years where he was no longer a significant player in liberal Madison, Wisconsin. He would get into verbal shouting matches with other old liberals as he was establishing his campaign. They were trying to promote their radical records against each other. No surprise that he ended up losing. That’s the trouble with hate; it soon turns and attacks the perpetrator. P.S. to GEB: I hope you are feeling okay as it seems like you have gone a little “dark” lately with your comments.
OT, to our friends on the Left who, two days ago, were arguing that George Stephanopoulos did not lie or act with reckless disregard of the truth, Megyn Kelly has now showed the video of him asking Jean Carroll if she was disappointed that the jury did *not* find Trump liable for rape link below). So he was well aware of that when he knowingly lied while interviewing Nancy Mace. This removes all mystery about why he and his employer apologized and agreed to pay Trump $16M.
https://x.com/EricAbbenante/status/1868806810137661641
https://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Carroll-v-Trump-Kaplan-ruling-8-7-23.pdf
From the Opinion: ” the jury’s finding that Mr. Trump “sexually abused” Ms. Carroll implicitly determined that he forcibly penetrated her digitally- in other words, that Mr. Trump in fact did “rape” Ms. Carroll as that term commonly is used and understood in contexts outside of the New York Penal Law.”
(and which the law has since changed by the way)
This is a close issue, not a slam dunk for either side. But, it is a lot less problematic than Fox and Dominion.
I think defending our President-elect for “only” sexually abusing someone is a pretty sad situation.
I think defending our President-elect for “only” sexually abusing someone is a pretty sad situation
Clearly, your only recently defense and celebration of President Daddy-Daughter Inappropriate Incest Showers and your driving the woman he raped while he was a Senator is all the proof we need that you don’t have the slightest bit of concern about any level of sexual misconduct, real or alleged.
Just as you showed your true colors on sex crime felons when both the Clintons and the Obama’s had Harvey Weinstein on their open door policy guest list for the White House. Despite the fact their Secret Service close protection teams warned them their bundler and bestie Harvey was a serial rapist and pedophile.
You Anonymous Democrat groomers and pedophiles believe your complete lack of morality and hypocritical attempts at pretend standards isn’t noticeable?
This is why the only way you cowards will post your Bull Schiff is Anonymously – there may be one of your relatives who still has some hope you will leave your sexual pervert lifestyle behind.
Old Airborne Dog
Nice try, but you’re mixing apples and oranges. The phrase “liable for rape” refers to the jury’s findings. It’s a civil case so the word “liable” is meaningful. Stephanopoulis repeatedly asserted to Nancy Mace that Trump had been found “liable for rape,” which can only mean the jury found him so.
But if one looks at the jury verdict sheet, they unanimously voted “no” on that question. The judge’s after-the-fact spin is not a legal conclusion and has nothing to do with the question, yet that’s what you people keep relying on. Stephanopoulis has been around long enough to know the difference: as I pointed out, he even used the exact same legal phrase when talking to Jean Carroll, saying, “How do you feel that the jury found Trump was not liable for rape?”
I don’t think it is that clear cut. The liability that Stephanopolous refers to is not necessarily the NY Penal Code’s definition of “rape.” The legal act of sexual abuse coincides with the common understanding of “rape” – As the Judge in Carroll v Trump held in 2023:
“One dictionary, for example, defines rape as “unlawful sexual intercourse or any other sexual penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth of another person, with or without force, by a sex organ, other body part, or foreign object, without the consent of the person subjected to such penetration.” “[R]ape,” Dictionary.com, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/rape (last accessed July 14, 2023) (emphasis added).”
Thus, it is clearly wrong if Stephanopolous says Trump is liable for “rape as defined under the NY Penal Code” but it is not inaccurate to say the court found Trump liability for “rape.”
It is a logical jump to assume that he means the legal definition here.
No, you’re full of BS. “Liable” is a legal word. It doesn’t mean anything else in this setting.
Stephanopolous to Carroll: How does it make you feel that the jury found Trump was not liable for rape?
Stephanopolous to Mace: But you’re aware Trump was found liable for rape, right?
For you to argue Stephanopolous was not knowing lying is beyond the pale of logic or reason, as further demonstrated by ABC agreeing to apologize and fork over $15M.
I think defending our President-elect for “only” sexually abusing someone is a pretty sad situation
If I believed he actually sexually abused her, I would agree with you. But the rigged kangaroo-court in NYC (made up of Trump haters), together with nine years of bogus lawfare and abusive, corrupt prosecutions and civil suits, as well as the particular plaintiff’s history and reactions, gives me no such confidence. The whole civil suit was bogus and should have been thrown out. So GFY.
again with this lawfare concept…. the same day we find out that Trump is suing the Des Moines Register over a poll he didn’t like?? Is that “lawfare”?
Very silly comment. The two things are completely different. You can look it up. Sheesh!
@Anonyma-whatever
Your points are so asinine they are difficult to quantify. You should know: the age of petulant children controlling anything whatsoever is over. For good. As in forever, going well beyond the sunset. Good luck to you, you are going to need it.
The critics who consider it a so-called safe space consider it thusly as a tin eared echo chamber of leftist snowflakes that break into uncontrollable wailing at the very mention of Orange Man Bad. So who among the critics would want to join/use Bluesky? For what purpose? To have a nice and civil conversation with the undocumented patients in the mental ward? Rodericks then says that Bluesky is safe and welcoming to all users. So was the NSDAP as long as you remained a good little stooge and didn’t say anything to offend party members.
As Rodericks himself points out, Bluesky is not the place for anyone who thinks independently and has a mind of their own declaring that anyone in opposition to others is wrong for being in opposition to others, and uses a strawman accusation that being in opposition to others is harassing them. Cute.
He himself is denying their existence as he shoves them into a safe space of reverberated thought patterns decrying anyone who listens to foreign broadcasts. Ist verboten!!!
“So was the NSDAP as long as you remained a good little stooge and didn’t say anything to offend party members.” EXACTLY ON POINT! Many likes.