speech

5Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

SOCIAL JUSTICE

US Military Has Clamped Down On Racist Speech, Including Retweets And Likes, Faced With A Rise Of Extremism Within Its Ranks

Less than a month after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin took the extraordinary step of pausing all operations for 24 hours to “address extremism in the ranks.” Pentagon officials had been shaken by service members’ prominent role in the events of Jan. 6. Of the 884 criminal defendants charged to date with taking part in the insurrection, more than 80 were veterans. That’s almost 10% of those charged. More remarkable, at least five of the rioters were serving in the military at the time of the assault: an active-duty Marine officer and four reservists. Service members’ involvement in the insurrection has made the spread of extremism – particularly white nationalism – a significant issue for the U.S. military. Solving the problem A blu...

Research Shows Content Rules On Twitter Help Preserve Free Speech From Bots And Other Manipulation – Elon Musk Is Wrong

11May

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

SOCIAL MEDIA

Research Shows Content Rules On Twitter Help Preserve Free Speech From Bots And Other Manipulation – Elon Musk Is Wrong

Elon Musk’s accepted bid to purchase Twitter has triggered a lot of debate about what it means for the future of the social media platform, which plays an important role in determining the news and information many people – especially Americans – are exposed to. Musk has said he wants to make Twitter an arena for free speech. It’s not clear what that will mean, and his statements have fueled speculation among both supporters and detractors. As a corporation, Twitter can regulate speech on its platform as it chooses. There are bills being considered in the U.S. Congress and by the European Union that address social media regulation, but these are about transparency, accountability, illegal harmful content and protecting users’ rights, rather than regulating speech. Musk’s calls for free s...

Experts In Online Communications Weigh In – Does ‘Deplatforming’ Work To Curb Hate Speech And Calls For Violence?

4Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

SOCIAL MEDIA

Experts In Online Communications Weigh In – Does ‘Deplatforming’ Work To Curb Hate Speech And Calls For Violence?

In the wake of the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Twitter permanently suspended Donald Trump’s personal account, and Google, Apple and Amazon shunned Parler, which at least temporarily shut down the social media platform favored by the far right. Dubbed “deplatforming,” these actions restrict the ability of individuals and communities to communicate with each other and the public. Deplatforming raises ethical and legal questions, but foremost is the question of whether it’s an effective strategy to reduce hate speech and calls for violence on social media. The Conversation U.S. asked three experts in online communications whether deplatforming works and what happens when technology companies attempt it. Sort of, but it’s not a long-term solution Jeremy Blackburn, assistant profes...

4Apr

By THEIRL1ADMIN01No Comments

IN OTHER NEWS

Facebook bans Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones for hate speech

The social media company also bans Paul Nehlen, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson and Laura Loomer. This combination of file photo shows Louis Farrakhan and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones [Files: AP Photo] Facebook has banned right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and other far-right figures, saying they violated its ban against hate and violence. The company said on Thursday that it has also banned right-wing leaders Paul Nehlen, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson and Laura Loomer, along with Jones's site, Infowars. The latest bans apply to both Facebook's main service and to Instagram and extend to fan pages and other related accounts. Facebook previously suspended Jones from its flagship servic...