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Comment by cal5k | Hacker News Reader

I can’t pinpoint exactly when the shift happened, but in the recent past the tech industry was always the first to defend free speech and the open exchange of ideas. Today it seems to be increasingly beholden to a loud minority of employees with some very illiberal views about speech.

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I mean, its not just the tech industry, even people like Senator Cruz who used to `ostensibly` be for the constitutions has toyed with a ban on supporting BDS and regulating private companies speech.

I don't know about generally, but my own feeling is that I am more reluctant about the whole thing because a lot of the people chanting about freedom of speech seem to be destructive and ill-intentioned these days.

So free speech is guilty by association?

I understand the emotional reaction. I don't understand how nominally rational people don't overrule their collective id on this one.

This happened because we saw that free speech on internet forums just let to people harassing women and yelling racist nonsense constantly. The forum you are on deletes garbage too.

free speech is a principle that the government can't silence you. it never meant that other people have to listen to you or care what you say.

Free speech is a principle based in rationality. Exercise of power should not overrule reason and independent thought.

Governments are notoriously powerful and prone to censorship, but private groups like corporations and busybody neighborhoods can also be heavy handed and net harmful.

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