Idk, every person I talk to thinks it's crazy that the US is this close to banning an app because it doesn't like the content. The idea that Americans aren't allowed to view "propaganda" is insane and very against the ideas of free speech.
But I come online and there's so much support for banning an app who hires lots of devs in Silicon Valley itself...
It's not about being allowed, but more about being steered.
And yes, other social media platforms have similar issues with algorithmic feeds, but they are currently a less clear national security threat. Though, one could argue they are radicalizing internal threats.
>less clear national security threat. Though, one could argue they are radicalizing internal threats.
I don't and will never buy this argument that showing people certain media causes violence or is a security threat. People doing violent things is a security threat. What they read or believed that led them to do that is not. Freedom of expression is vital and defending it comes with serious negative consequences. It means defending heinous views, some which have only ever been linked with radicals and violence. But they are allowed to say those views and to say them to other people. And people are allowed to read, watch, and see those views.
I agree with you! But where I differ is when people get trapped in these algorithmic bubbles because they happen to search for or like something once or twice. Then they are fire hosed that type of content over and over, which IMO is very different than being allowed to say or see something.
That's indeed where we differ. If I were alive when the radio were invented or the television, I wouldn't think the technical change changed my ideals, and I don't think that now
This "being steered" argument is bullshit. Are Fox News and CNN not steering their viewers toward a very specific democratic outcome? TV shows, movies, even books. Every piece of media that you consume wants to influence your vote one way or another.
It's also a firehose of misinformation you choose to jump into. One can reasonably watch TikTok with the understanding that it might be good for entertainment or learning about things that don't really matter. It's a terrible news source, just like any other user content driven platform.
>> The idea that Americans aren't allowed to view "propaganda" is insane and very against the ideas of free speech.
It's odd that the people who are so adamant that we can't ban 'hate speech' because 'it's a slippery slope' don't seem to care that the government banning us from viewing content is also quite a serious slipper slope.
>> But I come online and there's so much support for banning an app who hires lots of devs in Silicon Valley itself.
It's a net-positive for all the people working at Facebook + Twitter which is where the eyeballs will be diverted to.
But I come online and there's so much support for banning an app who hires lots of devs in Silicon Valley itself...