The ACLU released a statement last night saying that the group “understand[s] the desire to permanently suspend” President Trump but “it should concern everyone when companies like Facebook and Twitter wield the unchecked power to remove people from platforms that have become indispensable for the speech of billions — especially when political realities make those decisions easier”:
ACLU on Trump/Twitter:
“it should concern everyone when companies like Facebook and Twitter wield the unchecked power to remove people from platforms that have become indispensable for the speech of billions — especially when political realities make those decisions easier”
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 9, 2021
You see, they’re worried that liberal groups will eventually get banned, too:
ACLU adds:
“President Trump can turn to his press team or Fox News to communicate with the public, but others — like the many Black, Brown, and LGBTQ activists who have been censored by social media companies — will not have that luxury.”
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 9, 2021
Full statement here:
Here's the full ACLU statement on the Twitter/Facebook ban of Trump: pic.twitter.com/1IkWujbugT
— Kim Zetter (@KimZetter) January 9, 2021
They ALMOST got it:
Don't fret. The ACLU is going to complete its collapse into defending only progressive speech inside the next five years.
I use the term progressive in its definitional meaning. Civil libertarians will have to look elsewhere for champions. https://t.co/VlJ31kyUuf
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) January 9, 2021
But the ACLU has a lot of work to do to get back to where it once was:
Also, I've had friends who had to litigate opposite these assholes, and they think their shit don't stink just because they have ACLU business cards.
What a sad collapse of a good organization.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) January 9, 2021
Recommended
Another voice from the Left calling out Big Tech is supermodel Emily Ratajkowski who suggested Big Tech used the storming of the Capitol as cover for its “rollout of censorship”:
Anyone else feel like proper amount of capital police being absent/letting Trump people in/providing insane visuals of MAGA dudes on the floor of the house was wildly convenient to justifying big tech’s rollout of censorship?
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) January 7, 2021
She’s worried that eventually, Big Tech will turn on liberals:
This gives Facebook/tech/Zuck THE MOST POWER. If he can shut the president up/off he can shut any of us up/off
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) January 7, 2021
My concern is that this gives big tech the opportunity to shut down “leftist extremists” who are important political organizers.
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) January 7, 2021
And she wants to preserve her ability to use Twitter and Facebook to organize a violent takeover of the U.S. government if it’s one libs think is fascist:
Yeah but what if our gov became a fascist one and the only tactic was to storm the capitol? Our tools (the internet/social media) to organize are being taken away from us
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) January 7, 2021
Well, we’ve been saying this. It’s all fun and games to make fun of the #QAnon people who lost their accounts until they come for you because of your #BLM hashtag:
Correct now they have they’ll have the country cheering as they do tho…
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) January 7, 2021
Be careful what you wish for, libs:
I’m aware. And before tech leftists were being blacklisted by other means. People responding to my tweet somehow do not understand what license this gives big tech to continue to do so this time with people cheering. Patriot act 2.0?
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) January 7, 2021
And she’s also pointed out that Facebook and Twitter can change their algorithm that they’re using to maximize profit instead of, say, only showing people posts from the people they follow:
maybe they could change their algorithm… https://t.co/vRnbD1PpLU
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) January 8, 2021
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member