6 new things FaceBook censors that will drive people away!

FaceBook boasts that 1/3 of the world's population logs in daily. The site has become a household name, and while not everybody has a FaceBook profile, everybody is affected by the company and its tendrils throughout the internet.

Some of the things they just banned got my attention:

1.) "Hate speech".

I'm not personally a fan of hate, but I'm a MASSIVE proponent of free speech. Hate speech is defined as conduct that attacks or incites prejudice against others on the basis of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, sex, or gender. So there's a complete ban on criticizing religious groups? Some of my posts and videos would be considered 'hate speech' and subject to censorship. I'm reminded of a Carl Sagan quote; "If we are not able to ask skeptical questions, to interrogate those who tell us that something is true, to be skeptical of those in authority, then we’re up for grabs for the next charlatan, political or religious, who comes ambling along." I believe that skepticism is our duty, and rules or laws that try to ban skepticism must be challenged. I feel an outright ban on hate speech is a slippery slope.

2.) Bare nipples of females over the age of 5. (Lactating nipples are fine at any age.)

This one is downright creepy. Who decides what is too sexual or private to be seen "in public" (ie: on open FaceBook pages and profiles)? What's the criteria? Are you trying to ban things that might excite viewers, perhaps perverts? If so, why are 6-year-old boy nipples different than 4-year-old girl nipples? Couldn't they all potentially be the target of perverts? This policy seems downright sexist. What's next, are we going to tell our girls to cover their necks and hair once they turn 11? Seriously, none of this makes any sense, and it's almost embarassing how irrational it is. Forget ages, forget genders, forget sexes. Just scrap the entire ban on nipples.

3.) Questioning the validity of alleged witnesses of school shootings and other tragedies.

They're calling this "bullying" and of course we can't be okay with bullying!?
But again, what about our right to be skeptical? After all, if we can't be skeptical, we have no protection against scams or conspiracies being used against us. Hiding behind an "anti-bullying" rule is diabolical, but there are those who would do so.

4.) Buying, selling, or trading cannabis - or stating an interest to do so.

No specific rules against booze. No specific rules against opioids. But "marijuana", that needs to be mentioned very specifically!? And there's no exception for medical users, even if they have a prescription. Not even if they live where it's 100% legal recreationally. Absolutely no cannabis transactions or anything related to it. Awkward. It feels like the 1990s.

5.) Insensitive comments about people's vulnerabilities.

This is so broad it could be used to censor almost anything.

6.) Close-up buttocks. (Far away buttocks are fine.)

I guess they're trying to prevent anyone from having to see a zit.
Butt seriously, there's no need for this rule. There's already a rule against showing genitals and anus, leave it there.

Censorship and prohibition are failed policies. They don't work, and only benefit those making the rules and doing the enforcement. FaceBook is shooting itself in the foot with these policies. More and more people will seek the freedom of sites like Steemit.

Steem on!