Devin Nunes, CEO Of Trump's TRUTH Social, Confirms That 'Free Speech' Social Media Will Be HEAVILY Moderated

from the thank-you-section-230 dept

It's never been a secret that for all of the public claims about how Donald Trump's upcoming social network "TRUTH Social" will be for "free speech" that this was never actually the plan. We noted right up front that its terms of service appeared to be way more restrictive than all the competitors it was criticizing -- and even said it would be a violation of terms to "annoy" anyone working for the site. When Rep. Devin Nunes -- who has a long history of suing people for criticizing and mocking him (i.e., no friend of free speech) -- announced he was retiring from Congress to become CEO of Trump's social network, we noted that he'd be quick to ban people on the site.

And, so it's no surprise that Fox Business is reporting that the site will have "strict" content moderation tools in place, in order to make the site "family friendly."

Fox Business has learned that TMTG is partnering with Hive—a San Francisco-based Series D start-up that provides automated solutions through cloud-based artificial intelligence for understanding images, videos, and text content. Hive’s technology provides automated content moderation across video, image, text and audio.

"We want to be very family-friendly, we want this to be a very safe place, and we are focused on making sure any illegal content is not on the site," Nunes said in an exclusive interview with Fox Business.

"Hive has a great track record in this, and they have been good to work with," Nunes continued. "They are very helpful for our team and because of their experience, I think they’re helping to craft the right spot for us."

He added: "We want to be the most family-friendly site."

Hive is, indeed, pretty widely used by various social media platforms struggling to keep craziness in check -- including Parler and Chatroulette.

But, it's pretty incredible to see Nunes saying this without any self-awareness at all. Considering how much he has criticized Twitter, YouTube and other platforms for their moderation practices -- which were also very much based on the belief of making their platforms "family friendly" for users -- it's pretty ridiculous to pretend that TRUTH Social is somehow different.

Also, the reason that TRUTH Social can work with Hive and make these decisions about how to moderate their platform in a "family friendly" manner is because of Section 230 giving them the freedom to do so without liability -- the very law that Trump himself wanted repealed.

Of course, the real irony is that along with that article on Fox Business is a video clip of Maria Bartiromo, whining to GETTR CEO Jason Miller, about how terrible existing social media companies are because they "censor" content, and talking about how great it is that TRUTH Social will be different. She quotes Trump talking about this "new age of censorship." There seems to be no recognition at all that TRUTH Social will moderate just like every other site does -- and, in fact, this video is over an article saying exactly that. Even more ridiculous: the example that Baritromo uses of "censorship" from the big existing platforms... was not censorship at all. She posted a photo of a sunrise to Instagram, and listed upcoming guests as well as "topics" that they would be talking about, including "vaccines."

It appears this triggered an automated context system on Instagram that when someone tried to share the image, Instagram popped up a note that said "Make sure the information is reliable before sharing" and added a link to a CDC website with information about vaccines. That is not even remotely "censorship." Indeed, it's exactly the opposite. It is the quintessential "more information" -- the very thing that Baritromo, quoting Trump, seemed to suggest we need more of. But because it's about her photo, she claims its "censorship."

Perhaps just as laughable, in that interview, Miller claims "fact is, we're living in the worst period of political censorship in American history." That's absolute hogwash. The opposite is objectively true. Until recently the vast majority of Americans had nowhere to speak publicly about politics. Now they all have places they can speak. It's just that not everyone gets to speak on everyone else's property.

The whole thing is crazy, and it would be nice if Baritromo, Trump, Miller, and Nunes just out and out admitted the reality: they just don't like it when their own nonsense is moderated, and they want separate rules for themselves than for anyone else.

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Filed Under: ai, content moderation, devin nunes, donald trump, family friendly, free speech, maria bartiromo, section 230
Companies: fox news, gettr, hive, instagram, tmtg, truth social, twitter


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  • icon
    Dan Neely (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:00am

    Of course, the real irony is that along with that article on Fox Business is a video clip of Maria Bartiromo, whining to GETTR CEO Jason Miller, about how terrible existing social media companies are because they "censor" content, and talking about how great it is that TRUTH Social will be different.

    It is. Instead of trying to ban lies being spread by the Leopards Eating Peoples Faces party, this one prohibits complaining that your face got eaten by a leopard.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:11am

    Family Friendly

    Who knew... neo-nazis, anti-semitism and advocating for the violent overthrow of democracy is considered family friendly. But God forbid, speaking about voting rights, critical race theory, police brutality, or women's reproductive rights... Now that there is treason and has no place on this platform!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Reinheart, 26 Jan 2022 @ 1:39pm

      Re: Family Friendly

      The United States of America is a constitutional republic and not a democracy.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Rocky, 26 Jan 2022 @ 2:01pm

        Re: Re: Family Friendly

        The USA is a democracy, just not a direct democracy. If someone doesn't understand the distinction they may offer up the same argument as you did. When people say that the USA is a democracy they mean that it is a representative democracy which is just another name for a constitutional republic.

        TL;DR: Anyone saying that the US is not a democracy probably failed their civics class.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          David, 26 Jan 2022 @ 4:38pm

          Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

          It's actually so-so since democracy implies some basically equal representation. Senators are two per state, however, no matter how many citizens. House Representatives have some correlation with population but are decided as first-through-the-gate in districts assigned by various state-dependent officials which allows a governing party to retain control even when the other party is somewhat shy of 75% of votes (basically, you give a bit less than 50% of the districts to the other party with near 100% of people voting for them, then you give yourself the other districts with a bit more than 50% of people voting for you and a bit less than 50% of people voting for the others).

          And the "first through the gate" scheme pretty much converges to at most a two-party system which further removes representation. Other representative democratic countries tend to have coalition governments of several parties.

          And the system of picking elector slates is formally not constitutionally democratic (though factually the states all have deferred this to voters) which was the basis of the "alternate elector slates" atrocity that the Trumpists ultimately failed to make either state legislators or Mike Pence run with.

          So "constitutionally democratic" definitely is not really a slam dunk characterisation with the U.S.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            PartTimeZombie (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 6:07pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

            The TL;DR is that America is democracy-lite. Or, if you like kinda sorta democratic but not really.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            nasch (profile), 30 Jan 2022 @ 2:21pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

            It's actually so-so since democracy implies some basically equal representation.

            I have not been able to find a definition that specifies equal representation.

            "a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives."

            "a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation ("direct democracy"), or to choose governing officials to do so ("representative democracy")."

            "Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or through freely elected representatives."

            "a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting"

            "a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections"

            link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Yo Betcha, 27 Jan 2022 @ 1:31pm

          Busy Business

          Civics was dropped ling ago. What Civics class?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
          icon
          Trump2024 (profile), 28 Jan 2022 @ 12:19pm

          Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

          Anybody with a pulse and a few brain cells knows that you and all of your "progressive" husks hate the constitution of the United States. Its just a road block to you. Nevertheless, it exists and is the law of the land. America is a federal republic. Since we have that wonderful, amazing constitution, that makes the United States a constitutional federal republic. Only subversive, commie types such as you choose to refer to my country as a representative democracy. Why don't you cut to the chase and call it what you dream of it becoming? Come on, say what you would like to see this nation become. Or do you lack the courage of your conviction? Yeah, that's probably it.

          Oh, and tell your party to tell the truth every now and then. Its no fun when they lie all the time.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Rocky, 28 Jan 2022 @ 6:25pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

            Hello Anyone, considering that you only have a few brain cells it's clear that you failed civics class.

            If you borrow some brain cells from a friend, may I suggest you go and read some of the Federalist Papers so we can hear the horror of you discovering that the founding fathers where "commie types" that "hated the constitution" they wrote. That, of course, implies that actually you manage to understand what they wrote.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Stephen T. Stone (profile), 28 Jan 2022 @ 7:17pm

            If you’re going to attempt satire, at least try to make it funny.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 28 Jan 2022 @ 8:02pm

              Re:

              It's a good Hamilton impression, but everyone knows Hamilton doesn't have the balls to sign up for an account. Also not enough Melania fanfiction.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Lostinlodos (profile), 30 Jan 2022 @ 3:04pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

            America is a federal republic.

            Well, no.
            The United States is a constitutional confederated republic. A collection of independent self-governing states United by a constitution to a representative democratic government if the whole, the republic. Where the House represents the people and the Senate represents the states.

            To be a true democracy we would have one vote per person per issue. On every issue. Since that is not feasible with just 1000 people, let alone 300+ million… we elect our representation.

            The confederation was the background premise of the civil war. That states could leave the “union” of the republic at will.

            Now there’s something to be said for faithless electors and the such nuances of like. And much has been discussed over the last 20 years on that.
            There’s also the issue of the electoral college. Where the majority of the states land can override the majority of the population. Or vc.
            My rewrite of the Wikipedia arrival on it some years back garnered some community awards.

            Both of those issues modify the level of representation. Making for a less direct approach even still.

            But there is no denying that we are a confederation. We are a union under the constitution. And we are represented by others in our stead.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              nasch (profile), 30 Jan 2022 @ 3:23pm

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

              America is a federal republic.

              Well, no.

              Federal: "A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government."

              Republic: "A republic (from Latin res publica 'public affair') is a form of government in which "supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives"."

              So yes. The US is a federal republic.

              To be a true democracy we would have one vote per person per issue. On every issue.

              False (why do so many conservatives insist on denying the concept of representative democracy?).

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • icon
                Lostinlodos (profile), 30 Jan 2022 @ 4:30pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                why do so many conservatives insist on denying the concept of representative democracy

                I don’t know about them. I don’t deny it could exist. Juat that we don’t have one. (Don’t pull a Paul, btw. Mr retort was directly against a conservative).

                The biggest thing standing in the way of representation is the ability of the representative to not cast the determined vote.
                And that’s a debate I don’t want to get into because I don’t have a set opinion myself on faithless electors.
                Nor the EC.

                At best this country is semi-representative.

                I’d also point out republicans comes from re (res is plural). And the post Kingdoms debate of pro vs re in designing the republic re is of or from. Pro is for. I’d argue that despite the dictionary definitions we would under Latin be described as propublica. Not republica.
                Because a direct re which would be a true representation of 1:1 is not what we have. The results are generally the same in most cases but as you see with the EC reduction/rounding can change things a bit.

                But alas I did say we are representative. But a representative democracy or not is not a truly complete democracy without 1:1. And if votes are slowly consolidated there’s the opportunity for the representative vote to be different from the true vote. Depending on the methods of consolidation. And in our case personal opinion of the representative. Ala 2016.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • icon
                  nasch (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 7:30am

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                  But a representative democracy or not is not a truly complete democracy without 1:1.

                  Can you find any dictionary or encyclopedia that defines representative democracy in that way?

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • icon
                    Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 11:18am

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                    Representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy, is a type of democracy where elected persons represent a group of people, in contrast to direct democracy.~wikipedia. Via Victorian Electronic Democracy, Final Report

                    A true democracy is 1:1.

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

                    • icon
                      nasch (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 11:57am

                      Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                      A true democracy is 1:1.

                      You have yet to provide a citation for this claim.

                      link to this | view in chronology ]

                      • icon
                        Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 12:07pm

                        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                        See below:
                        Democracy (Greek: δημοκρατία, dēmokratiā, from dēmos 'people' and kratos 'rule'[1]) is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation ("direct democracy"), or to choose governing officials to do so ("representative democracy").

                        link to this | view in chronology ]

                        • icon
                          nasch (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 12:24pm

                          Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                          And where is the part where it says it must be absolutely equal in representation? Because I don't see it.

                          link to this | view in chronology ]

                          • icon
                            Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 1:39pm

                            Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                            Representative means someone else votes for you. Otherwise you are voting which would be direct democracy.

                            What do you mean by equal? Democracy isn’t equal. It’s majority.

                            link to this | view in chronology ]

                            • icon
                              Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 2:32pm

                              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Frien

                              Actually I can’t think of any system actually implemented anywhere that was completely equal. Afaik, there isn’t one.

                              link to this | view in chronology ]

                              • icon
                                nasch (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 2:47pm

                                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family F

                                Representative means someone else votes for you. Otherwise you are voting which would be direct democracy. What do you mean by equal? Democracy isn’t equal. It’s majority.

                                I think you might have thrown me off when you said "A true democracy is 1:1." By "true" do you mean "direct"? It didn't occur to me until just now that you might have meant that, because that implies representative democracy is "false" democracy. Which it isn't.

                                link to this | view in chronology ]

                                • icon
                                  Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 3:12pm

                                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fami

                                  By "true" do you mean "direct"?

                                  Yes, at it’s most basic core a “true” democracy is direct.

                                  All other methods are reductions or variations on that core. That doesn’t make it false. Just not the same as the original core. Rather A variation.

                                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                                  • icon
                                    nasch (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 4:27pm

                                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                                    So we're back to the strange phenomenon of conservatives (at least it seems like it's usually conservatives) denying that representative democracy is true democracy. It's never made sense to me.

                                    link to this | view in chronology ]

                                    • icon
                                      Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 7:08pm

                                      Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                                      Well, I guess that depends on how you look at what true means.
                                      Here’s a parallel example; since this site’s name is TECHdirt.

                                      You have Unix. SD, MIT, BSD etc.
                                      BSD is alive and well today. As BSD.
                                      BSD has every right to consider itself Unix. But not all Unix is BSD.

                                      A representative democracy IS a democracy. As is a socialist democracy (what I prefer), a democratic monarchy, and a democratic republic. Etc.
                                      It’s a variation of the original. Just as much right to the term but not the same thing.

                                      I’d also refer you to contextual history on your calling it a “conservative” issue. Remember during the Cold War era, especially during Vietnam, it was the liberal-ist claim the US could not spread what we don’t have at home ourselves. Re:democracy.

                                      What we are not is the source of the term. Later prepended to direct….
                                      We practice a derivation of the process.

                                      link to this | view in chronology ]

                                      • icon
                                        nasch (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 7:24pm

                                        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                                        Well, I guess that depends on how you look at what true means.

                                        Great, so now besides "democracy" we have to figure out if we mean the same thing by "true"?

                                        A representative democracy IS a democracy.

                                        Cool, we're on the same page. Still think the US is not a federal republic?

                                        I’d also refer you to contextual history on your calling it a “conservative” issue. Remember during the Cold War era, especially during Vietnam, it was the liberal-ist claim the US could not spread what we don’t have at home ourselves. Re:democracy.

                                        Yes, but that had nothing to do with any objection that non-direct democracy isn't really democracy. It was a protest that our representative democracy does a poor job of representing many segments of society.

                                        link to this | view in chronology ]

                                        • icon
                                          Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 9:16pm

                                          Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                                          Still think the US is not a federal republic?

                                          Huh? I said it was!
                                          I was just more specific.
                                          “ constitutional confederated republic”

                                          ADJECTIVE (of states or groups of people) joined in or forming an alliance.~MIE

                                          The US is not a democracy by original term. It is a representative democracy. That operates as/within a constitutional confederated republic.
                                          The existence of this confederacy is in our very name. States. Without the independent self-governance we would be a state, not States.
                                          It’s a minor change of letters but makes for a big difference in governing methodology.

                                          The US has always been a variation of democracy. A fork. Or a branch of the democracy trunk.

                                          Mainlining a branch does not change the root. We are different from the root of direct control.

                                          And that’s a good thing in my view.

                                          link to this | view in chronology ]

                                          • icon
                                            nasch (profile), 1 Feb 2022 @ 7:35am

                                            Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                                            link to this | view in chronology ]

                                            • icon
                                              Lostinlodos (profile), 1 Feb 2022 @ 11:04am

                                              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                                              There’s a difference, slight as it is, between a single federal and plural confederation.
                                              There’s no doubt we are federal as the confederation sends federal members in the form of the senate

                                              And republic as the people send representation in the form of the house.

                                              link to this | view in chronology ]

                                              • icon
                                                nasch (profile), 1 Feb 2022 @ 11:58am

                                                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                                                There’s no doubt we are federal as the confederation sends federal members in the form of the senate

                                                We're not federal because of the Senate, but because of the states. The US would still be a federal system even if we had only the House of Representatives.

                                                And republic as the people send representation in the form of the house.

                                                The US would still be a republic even if we only had the Senate, and no House of Representatives. Because senators are elected by the people to represent them. That wasn't always the case, but it is today.

                                                link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • icon
                    Lostinlodos (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 11:19am

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

                    -The original form of democracy was a direct democracy~Wikipedia.

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Trump2024 (profile), 31 Jan 2022 @ 3:58pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Family Friendly

            “I fear that in every elected office, members will obtain an influence by noise not sense. By meanness, not greatness. By ignorance, not learning. By contracted hearts, not large souls . . . There must be decency and respect.”

            The posters are just ignorant soulless noisemakers.

            “Because power corrupts, society’s demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.”

            That's why Trump will win in 2024.

            “What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people."

            God Bless the American Revolution (the one that happened in the Minds of the People) and the Constitution it produced.

            2024 is coming, be ready. God Bless America.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Michael, 26 Jan 2022 @ 3:31pm

        Re: Re: Family Friendly

        Hard to believe people who are old enough to be on the internet are still trotting out this obviously false talking point. It doesn't even work as a "well, ackshually" pedantic point.

        It's just false.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        sumgai (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 11:33am

        Re: Re: Family Friendly

        Other replies to your missive nothwithstanding, America is a democratic republic.

        That means that each individual citizen has a vote, a say in how this country is run. But as dictated by the Constitution, one's vote is wasted on only being able to elect a layer of middle-management. Sigh.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        JMT (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 6:10pm

        Re: Re: Family Friendly

        "The United States of America is a constitutional republic and not a very good democracy."

        FTFY

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      MightyMetricBatman, 27 Jan 2022 @ 12:42pm

      Re: Family Friendly

      Unfortunately, Facebook and Twitter also due a terrible job of recognizing antisemitic content.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Stephen T. Stone (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:11am

    the reason that TRUTH Social can work with Hive and make these decisions about how to moderate their platform in a "family friendly" manner is because of Section 230 giving them the freedom to do so without liability

    I must once again remind people that preserving “family friendly” spaces was, in fact, one of the primary goals of enacting 47 U.S.C. § 230 into law, per the on-the-Congressional-record testimony of Republican lawmaker and 230 co-author Chris Cox.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:13am

    I feel like DevinCow and Mom Nunes should make an appearance on the platform... if or when it is ever released. At least this time he wouldn't have to sue half the planet to find out who made THAT account!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Norahc (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 1:01pm

      Re:

      Nah, because then he would have access to identifying information that he currently doesn't have.

      On the other hand, if thousands of people signed up with accounts named DevinNunesCow he'd probably sue all of them.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        wshuff (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 4:13pm

        Re: Re:

        You mean do a Spartacus thing. “I am DevinNunesCow.”

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Norahc (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 7:38pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          Personally, I was going to sign up with "HowNowNunesCow"

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          sumgai (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 11:47am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Steven Biss: Yes your Honor, my client is indeed bringing suit against all of those 150,000 account holders, because each of them claims to be his mother!

          His Honor: Well, no reverse class-action for you. Pay the filing fees and serve suit on each individual, doing so in the appropriate jurisdiction for each such individual. The clerk will now enter into the record that this matter has been dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction over the claimed defendants. Mr. Biss, thank you for your time, and have a great day!

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Glen, 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:43am

    Before Kolby shows up to defend this policy and try to say how wonderful it is, I have one thing to say. Fuck you Kolby and you couldn't be anymore wrong.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:51am

    Gotta keep the cows out somehow.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    icon
    Koby (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:51am

    Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

    Considering how much he has criticized Twitter, YouTube and other platforms for their moderation practices -- which were also very much based on the belief of making their platforms "family friendly" for users

    This was the original hope for the 1996 CDA, that obscenity and pornography will be moderated, especially since this is one of the more objective ways to moderate. Social media platforms, by contrast, have been criticized for their removal of content based upon political correctness. Perhaps the most objective standandard imaginable.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Stephen T. Stone (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 12:03pm

      Social media platforms, by contrast, have been criticized for their removal of content based upon political correctness.

      What content are you talking about, Koby? Be specific.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 12:39pm

      Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

      Ahhh yes - 'political correctness' being the newspeak term for 'acting like a douchebag.'

      I for one, can't wait for all of the family-friendly banter that the mouth-breathers who use those sites will post. What I don't think any of you short-sighted morons are prepared for is who to blame when their politically incorrect speech gets shitcanned. I'd tell the rest of the herd to start looking for a scapegoat soon...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 12:49pm

      Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

      have been criticized for their removal of content based upon political correctness. Perhaps the most objective standandard imaginable.

      So, I guess this is you, Koby, admitting that it is wrong for social media businesses to remove users....

      • who constantly use the term ni&&er to refer to black people.
      • who promote and celebrate the atrocities of the Nazi party.
      • who threaten real violence towards their political enemy.
      • etc. etc. etc

      At this point, you obviously know that the "conservative voices" who are being kicked off social media, are being kicked off for very valid reasons, like being openly racists, being a nazi, being a homophobe, etc.

      And since you constantly refuse to point to any specific instance of your "conservative voices" being censored, what you are actually referring to, are the numerous people who have been kicked off for being racists, nazis, etc.

      And since being a racist, nazi, homophobe, etc, has become mainstream conservative Republican values, you are finally admitting that you are a racist, nazi, homophobic, xenophobic, bigoted asshole.

      Thank you for finally clearing that up for all of us here and admitting who you really are!!!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        That One Guy (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 8:20pm

        And since being a racist, nazi, homophobe, etc, has become mainstream conservative Republican values, you are finally admitting that you are a racist, nazi, homophobic, xenophobic, bigoted asshole.

        Don't forget pro-terrorism, anti-vaxxer and holocaust denialism, texas republicans went out of their way to make clear that those are all 'conservative values' that they feel need protection and it would be rude of people to ignore their efforts.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Stephen T. Stone (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 1:29pm

        Oh no~! Now where will he be able to speak his mind, having been denied the use of YouTube~? Surely this is the worst kind of censorship~!

        …so long as you ignore, y’know, his Twitter account and his Rumble account and his personal website and…

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 3:13pm

        Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

        This post might have been better, if you'd posted a limited tag, followed by the quote, rather than making the entire quote a link.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 11:01pm

          Re: Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

          This post might have been better, if you'd posted a limited tag, followed by the quote, rather than making the entire quote a link.

          I am sorry if I upset your proper comment ideology, but I purposely posted the entire comment as a quote so that it obvious to even the most internet illerate that it is a link to sourced material and not just a quote from an internet rando where a single word or two appear as the link and could be easily overlooked.

          But please, continue being the comment police so you can force your comment standards on everybody else, especially people like me who has no more fucks to give about what the fuck you think of my commenting-fu.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            sumgai (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 12:01pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

            First AC: Don't ignore this link.

            Second AC: Your commenting-fu is weak.

            First AC: Why, fuck you very much!

            Pure gold right there!

            link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            nasch (profile), 30 Jan 2022 @ 3:03pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

            But please, continue being the comment police so you can force your comment standards on everybody else

            What he said was "This post might have been better..." But please, continue overreacting to gentle suggestions! It's entertaining.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 2:24pm

      Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Bullshitted

      Oh look Koby the coward deigns to show his face once again.

      Looks like six more weeks of lies and bullshit!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        icon
        Koby (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 2:54pm

        Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

        Mas usually takes a break whenever the obvious social media censorship is afoot, and covers different topics. He had to let things cool off for awhile, I get it. Back a few weeks ago, it was the Joe Rogan/Dr. Malone censorship, and the Project Veritas takedowns that were making headlines. Running a piece trying to argue against alternative platforms wouldn't have passed the giggle test with the general population, given the circumstances.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 4:17pm

          Re: Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

          cry moar, pls

          How did your daddy with benefits restless94110 put it again? Oh right - "fuck your feelings, snowflake".

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Toom1275 (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 4:45pm

          Re: Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

          obvious social media censorship

          [Hallucinates events that have never happened in the real world]

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 5:12pm

          Re: Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored < Full Of Shit

          Ah Cool story bro, or whatever. But while you are here got just a quick question to ask y... AND HE'S GONE!

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Stephen T. Stone (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 5:18pm

          obvious social media censorship

          Who has been censored, how were they censored, what speech were they censored for, and how are they fighting to regain their First Amendment rights?

          Be very fucking specific.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 3:56pm

      Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

      Not all political speech is acceptable in polite company; indeed some of it should get a person on a watch list.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      That One Guy (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 5:10pm

      Time to run away again coward

      Social media platforms, by contrast, have been criticized for their removal of content based upon political correctness.

      Which content is being removed for 'political correctness' reasons, and as always be specific.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2022 @ 1:31am

        Re: Time to run away again coward

        Which content is being removed for 'political correctness' reasons, and as always be specific.

        When Twitter was kicking people off for saying, "Learn to code" to journalists who said the exact same thing to coal miners.

        Is that specific enough for you?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Toom1275 (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 1:39am

          Re: Re: Time to run away again coward

          So you've got nothing but deliberate dishonesty, got it.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          That One Guy (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 6:22am

          Re: Re: Time to run away again coward

          Gonna go with a [Citation Needed] for some details and context there but taking that at face value for the sake of the argument as a valid example that's one data point, now do you happen to have any others because I'm guessing that is not what the likes of Koby mean when they talk about 'political correctness' getting people booted so a few other examples might help there.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          sumgai (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 12:16pm

          Re: Re: Time to run away again coward

          Since you've made it abundantly clear that you can't understand abstract thinking, I'll give you a concrete example, using your non-example.

          The coal miners were, and still are losing their jobs, and thus are in danger of losing a lot more than just their lifestyle. That's understood. The journalists (some of them) simply said, "you can learn to code, and thus get another, different job".

          Whereas the journalists' jobs are not in jeopardy, so when the persons you call "people" started harassing them, the platform stepped in with a notice of TOS violation ("Thou shalt not harass, etc."). The rest is history, and for good reason.

          Since my meds are making me feel very fine this morning, let me guess - you're a product of "No Child Left Behind", aren't you? Because there are quite few knives in the drawer that are much sharper than you, we can tell.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 5:33pm

      Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

      Social media platforms, by contrast, have been criticized for their removal of content based upon political correctness.

      Bullshit, Koby.

      Stop lying.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Stephen T. Stone (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 6:45pm

        Technically, he’s right: Social media platforms have been criticized for “politically correct” moderation.

        But he’s also leaving out the details of what speech is being moderated, who’s publishing that speech, how no service⁠—including Parler, GETTR, and all the other “Worst People Problem” right-wing circlejerks⁠—is obligated by law to carry anyone’s speech, and how the critics of the moderation he’s whining about (including himself) are almost always confusing “we don’t do that here” with “you can’t do that anywhere” (and doing so intentionally).

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        sumgai (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 12:24pm

        Re: Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

        Mike, I've never seen an MD behind your name, nor anything else that might have to do with psychiatry, so I'm fairly certain that you don't hold any magic keys to force a congenital liar to stop cold turkey. My advice: save your breath, you've got better fish to fry.

        (Actually, to be selfish about it, if you did get Koby to stop lying, then who the hell are we gonna pick on?)

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Stephen T. Stone (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 12:53pm

          if you did get Koby to stop lying, then who the hell are we gonna pick on?

          Y’all can always lay the smack down on Lostinlodos.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Glen, 27 Jan 2022 @ 7:15am

      Re: Heavily Moderated > Heavily Censored

      Honestly I don't know what your motive is in these posts. If it is to look like an utter lying jackass and fool, then you have accomplished it.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Bloof (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 12:49pm

    There you go. The conservative selective backlash against social media isn't about free speech, they're fine with censorship but they want toi be the ones doing it so right wingers can sidestep the rules while the letter of the laws they've written is applied to everyone else without mercy or any regard for it's intent.

    It's telling that the right's big push to make alternative clones is limited to Twitter and Youtube, while Facebook, the complaints are purely performative. It seems like they're fine and dandy with the right wing bent of the people actually in charge of moderation decisions there, and their constant attacks on left wing news sources, promotion of grade a bullplop like the Daily Caller, Daily Wire and Brietbart, and blocking of any attempts to stop the site beingf a right wing radicalisation engine... Funny that.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    bwburke94 (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 3:35pm

    Mooooooooo.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    That Anonymous Coward (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 3:55pm

    It used to be when you saw images of cows be censored you knew it had to be a flaw...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2022 @ 4:10pm

    Of course it has to heavily moderated because The Donald gets upset so easily when people say mean things about him.

    I can picture the following comment: Hello, my name is Devin and I am five years old and I think our president Trump is really good and he cares about everyone. My moommy helped me write this.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      sumgai (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 12:31pm

      Re:

      No, No, NO! You should've written as his mother, like so:

      "Hello, I'm Devin's mother, and he has asked me to write this for him", and so on.

      But moommy was good, I'll give you that. ;)

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    That One Guy (profile), 26 Jan 2022 @ 5:26pm

    What could go wrong?

    So, they want to offer a 'family friendly' platform to the assholes that keep getting the boot from social media for being anything but 'family friendly'... well I don't see this blowing up in their faces at all!

    I can only imagine that certain accounts will be flagged as exempt from the filters as otherwise Trump and the higher ranking members of his cult will be throwing fits on a regular basis as their 'family friendly' platform keeps telling them to stop acting like assholes and blocking their posts and we can't have that now can we?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rekrul, 26 Jan 2022 @ 5:39pm

    To be fair, the linked article does point out that section 230 has been pivotal in protecting tech companies from being held responsible for what their users post, and even mentions that the right has been complaining about it. That's more than I'd expect from a Fox article.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2022 @ 6:06am

    He's got to keep the cows out somehow

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2022 @ 11:53am

    It's a ruse!

    It's all a ruse for Devin to finally unmask the cow that's been posting on twitter.

    Don't fall for it! Run!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    icon
    restless94110 (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 6:28pm

    For the Recored

    Just for the record: nothing should be moderated by anyone ever. If Trump does it? It's stupid and wrong. If Nunes does it? It's stupid and wrong. Nunes should have other things to do. So should Trump.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Toom1275 (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 8:26pm

      Re: For the Recored

      nothing should be moderated by anyone ever.

      Said nobody capable of rational independent thought, ever.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Stephen T. Stone (profile), 27 Jan 2022 @ 8:34pm

        I’m sure people capable of rational independent thought have said something like that before. Then again, being capable of it and demonstrating the ability to do it are two different things.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        That One Guy (profile), 28 Jan 2022 @ 1:59am

        'Nothing should ever be moderated!' might as well be the asshole motto, as how else are they to remain on any platform not run and filled by people just like them?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2022 @ 9:43pm

      Re: For the Recored

      nothing should be moderated by anyone ever. If Trump does it? It's stupid and wrong. If Nunes does it? It's stupid and wrong.

      And yet when Parler kicked Democrats and leftists off its platform, you were nowhere. Nor were you criticizing them for their censorship.

      Now why is that? Actually I'm pretty sure everyone already knows why, you're just too much of an insurrectionist fluffer to openly admit it.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Lostinlodos (profile), 30 Jan 2022 @ 12:56pm

    …and it’s a good thing?

    Maybe a big site for the right wing really is a good thing.
    They can all clump together and have a place to be left to themselves.
    That means less interaction with the other sites.

    Less interaction means less bans and blocks and all that.
    Which means less attempts to force speech.
    Less attempts at silly laws. Etc.

    Everyone should have a sandbox to play in.
    If you don’t like a sandbox go find another one.

    Seriously, we should all be happy. Less conflict!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 31 Jan 2022 @ 8:08am

      Re: …and it’s a good thing?

      Maybe a big site for the right wing really is a good thing.

      Yeah, you'd actually know where to hang out for once.

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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