- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
Summary:
Concerns About Social Media: The author draws parallels between concerns that led to discussions about banning TikTok in the U.S. and the current state of X (formerly Twitter).
X as a Threat: The author argues that X, under Elon Musk’s ownership, poses a threat to Canadian democracy.
Increased Racism and Misinformation: The platform is described as having become more racist and a source of increasing misinformation since Musk’s acquisition.
Content Moderation: Musk’s leadership is criticized for gutting content moderation, unbanning alt-right figures, and turning the platform into a partisan propaganda machine.
“Free Speech Absolutism”: Musk’s defense of his actions using “free speech absolutism” is dismissed as untenable.
Canadian Law: Canadian freedom of expression law is noted to be more robust than that of the U.S., allowing for reasonable limits on speech.
Foreign Influence: The author suggests that X’s current conduct would not be tolerated if it were aligned with a government like China.
Musk and Trump: Musk’s close ties to Donald Trump and the potential for pro-Trump propaganda targeting Canadian voters are highlighted as a specific threat.
Echoes of the Broadcasting Act: The author draws a parallel to the Broadcasting Act of 1958, which restricted foreign ownership of broadcasters to protect Canadian discourse.
Message to Social Media Companies: Banning X would send a message to other social media companies about their responsibilities to Canadians.
Call to Action: The author urges the current Prime Minister to ban X before the next election.
Trump’s annexation comments: Notes Trump’s comments about annexing Canada.
X as an Anti-Canadian Propaganda Machine: Concludes that X should be treated as a real threat.
It’s a mixed bag for me, it’s kinda nice that other websites are just filled with absolute degeneracy. By banning it, people will go elsewhere.
Yes it’s good on the surface, but echo chambers are near impossible to break. Having everyone on fediverse where there’s not perverse incentives to tailor algorithms to keep your engagement could help free some younger minds.
Its still a curated echo chamber and not reflective of the broader society, but its not a broligarch making pennies on each click either. For online social discourse, transparency is key.
Reddit has recently been issue warnings for users that engage (read: upvote) with content construed as inciting violence. Free and open discourse is not tenable on the main platforms (Meta, X, Reddit, etc.) and are being astro-turfed by bots trying to drive wedges in the communities.