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Comment by toomuchtodo | Hacker News Reader

I find it difficult to argue for absolute speech freedom when people are dying on ventilators or poisoning their grandchildren with ivermectin from misinformation. “Yelling fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire” sort of thing.

There is no expectation or obligation of free speech on a private platform. Censorship arguments ring hollow when outright lies are weaponized and causing measurable, real harm.

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Who here is arguing that private businesses can’t deplatform? I’m arguing that they shouldn’t, not that they can’t.

I’m not going to bite on the ivermectin/ventilator stuff because it’s just completely absurd. BTW the way you used the “it’s easy to argue” construction backwards.

If you believe facts and verifiable events (that are trivially cited from multiple, reliable news organizations) are absurd, but also don’t believe misinformation that causes those very events shouldn’t be deplatformed, how can your arguments carry any validity?

If your desire is to ignore the facts and instead yell into the void a position without substantiation (“no deplatforming! carry All The Speach Regardless of Content!), that sounds unlikely to persuade. I mean, you know they moderate this place too? Simply turn on “showdead” in your profile to see the deplatformed.

> Simply turn on “showdead” in your profile to see the deplatformed.

You have to jump through an extra hoop to see them at all, and you can't interact with them.

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