The Debating Society
Hobbies & Interests
A place where ModDB members can debate civilly, and learn from each other's views.
The European Commission announced a new code of conduct which is intended to combat hate speech online. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Microsoft have agreed to abide by the code. The agreement specifically mentions that it will apply to Microsoft-hosted consumer services. Although a representative of Google was quoted in the press release, YouTube is stated to be a partner in the agreement rather than Google. Whether or not Google services other than YouTube will be affected by this deal is not entirely clear.
To quote a comment on the link.
"Working with the EU on a subject like this is deplorable. Over the last few years the EU as a whole and European countries like France and Germany have shown that they see free speech and the open Internet as enemies. Working with the EU to encourage "alternative narratives" is some especially Dystopian shit; tech companies would basically be working as propaganda makers. Everything about this is unsettling and sets a horrid precedent."
Orwellion type government we have now.
What's going on in the EU will eventually make its way over to the USA. The lack of individual freedom and right to free speech over the state. This is disturbing on many levels and could VERY easily be abused by corrupt administrations in both places.
Thoughts?
Do you have a link to their new code of conduct?
Europa.eu
I guess time travel is possible since it looks like we're living in 1984.
Newspeak is coming, open your minds for a new language that doesn't allow to call things their real names. Why not anyway? Our elites don't use real names for problems for a long time. And doing so is a sign of racism, xenophobia and intolerance.
I guess people have steadily forgotten the difference between being politically incorrect and being a jackass. Which is unfortunate because there are people out there who don't make that distinction because they either don't know or don't care. But those who don't see the distinction can't be blamed because it's about whether or not what is being said is appropriate for the situation.
Well, it's simple really.
You wanna be a jackass, than don't expect many friends.
You wanna be politically incorrect, that's your right.
People shouldn't be silenced, no matter how bombastic/nutty what they say is. In the end those with common sense have a voice too. You just have to make sure they're the one's getting their points across better than the jackasses.
Which falls down to the people. If it's jackasses overrunning your society rather than those with common sense, compassion, and a sense of honor. That's not the fault of freedom. It's the fault of the society itself.
There's a reason countries need a moral fabric to net on.
One that isn't mandated by government, but by average joes.
@murauder: It is not being a jackass. As a guy from country that was in soviet influence I have something to say about freedom of speech. Even though I was born after the revolution, heritage of post communist country is strong and visible in our society.
It is probably few years ago I first wrote that our freedom of speech is not much visible, because in our new democratic state you could write anything and nobody gave a **** - politicians weren't afraid of people. So what does it mean now, that we are not allowed to address crimes? Think about it. And don't attack my comment next time, until you know what you are talking about.
Even in Czech republic for past years when a crime was committed, media told us who it was, unless it was a gypsy. Then media were silent. What is happening now with official news in western Europe?
What the hell possessed you to think that you're so special that a curmudgeon like me is gunning after you? I had no intent on attacking your comment nor you so don't get your knickers in a twist. I was addressing what you said on how people and the "powers that be" have a growing tendency to dance around the subject at hand instead of addressing it directly when it's called for.
The problem is not the ability to write and/or promote hateful or ignorant things on the internet, but peoples growing inability to recognize it as such.
Definitely against this, ANY form of censorship is bad.
Heres a good video on some reasons why: Youtube.com
Quite simply, cracking down on "Hate Speech" is a slippery slope towards cracking down on dissenting voices.