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Chopblock 23 points ago +23 / -0

If the federal government can afford to archive every single transmission on earth, why can’t they provide every American with free-speech website server space?

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CoronaT_Virus 18 points ago +18 / -0

I know right? NSA can make Iranian nuclear centrifuges explode halfway around the world, but we can’t get a few web designers to make sure that Rand Paul’s senate presentation can’t get scrubbed from existence!

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Chopblock 11 points ago +11 / -0

They can force telecoms networks to archive and deliver all your communications, but YOU are just about the only entity without access to those archives

4
agile_a 4 points ago +7 / -3

why make a new one?

just nationalize twitter

declare it a public utility and nationalize itt

3
if_if_if_if_if_if_if 3 points ago +3 / -0

I dunno... “Government-run Twitter” tastes bad no matter how you cook it...

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CoronaT_Virus 1 point ago +1 / -0

Cause we are not Venezuela, we don’t just take a private company. Nothing wrong with providing a service for the public interest however, especially when it is in the interest of freedom

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nairebis 6 points ago +6 / -0

why can’t they provide every American with free-speech website server space?

Because web site server space is already effectively free. There are numerous places you can create a blog in two minutes and say anything you want. And if you're worried about "them" not allowing whatever on their free site, you pay for hosting for about $5/month and do whatever you want. Free speech is not in short supply on the web.

The problem is that the reg-left own the forums where everybody might see your content. It would be like the reg-left owning the public square in the middle of your town, but you're only allowed free speech on the outside fringes. Sure, anybody can come there, but in practice few would.

It's a new world, and unfortunately the reg-left has taken over. What we need are public forum laws for sites that claim to be open forums that forbid banning on the basis of political beliefs -- any political beliefs. And yes, that means extreme beliefs. Communists, fascists, terrorists, socialists, racist assholes, on and on, but free speech means free speech. The way to combat bad beliefs is never censorship.

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IAbsolutelyDare 5 points ago +5 / -0

Exactly. The problem is network effects which is one of the classic arguments in favor of antitrust, which DOJ should be persecuting with extreme prejudice.

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Carry_Your_Name 2 points ago +2 / -0

This is the most horrible legacy of Obama. While other industries and other people suffered during the recession, the big tech rose up and grew into a giant during his administration.

If you remember, the freest and most creative era of the internet was the first 8 years of the 21st century, mostly during the bush administration. Since Obozo was elected, the Big Tech slowly but surely took control with his blessing. Those social media lured you to register with your real identity and begin to dominate your daily online communication. And after Brexit and our president's surprising victory, the Big Tech was so convinced of the collusion hoax that they were hellbent to crack down on free speech. You see less and less fun stuff created and submitted by independent users, and more and more of the lamestream media. It's no longer a public square when the Big Tech is corrupted by power.

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nairebis 1 point ago +1 / -0

Obama is a symptom, not the issue. You're giving him way too much credit. He was just a puppet for the various masters that are running things: Deep State (CIA), China, Saudi Arabia, Soros, etc. They pumped money into various institutions to corrupt them and played the long game of getting control of things.

Bush, while not as much of a puppet, still had deep ties to the CIA via Bush Sr. I don't trust the Bush's.

One of the reasons I know Trump is clean is because he is so universally hated by the really bad guys. You'll note Bush dislikes Trump as well. That's how you know he isn't clean.

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Canadian-Bacon 2 points ago +2 / -0

Because web site server space is already effectively free. There are numerous places you can create a blog in two minutes and say anything you want. And if you're worried about "them" not allowing whatever on their free site, you pay for hosting for about $5/month and do whatever you want. Free speech is not in short supply on the web.

Until the crazies get your web host to drop you.

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NotInFormation 1 point ago +1 / -0

True! But there are so many ways, from actually running your own on-prem server to hosted, cloud SaaS (like a webhost but cloudy) to IaaS (your own virtual or dedicated box) that you could dupe yourself redundantly across the web.

Speaking of which, bookmark the IP here in case the DNS gets woke ... no, don't, our DDOS filter here prohibits flying in directly.

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lanre 4 points ago +4 / -0

Because that's would be in the public interest, and that's not what government is for.

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deleted 2 points ago +2 / -0