RE: Obsessive Downvoting /Tagging Posts- A Method of Silencing & Censoring Curators on Steemit
do you realize that "Hate Speech" is what has been used to bring censorship to social media and exactly the reason that emboldens people like Bloom to flag on Steemit? What constitutes hate speech changes from country to country. Denying the Holocaust is hate speech in several countries though all evidence shows the Nazi gas chambers were a complete lie. So even the Truth has become Hate Speech.
Hate speech is not "universally abhorrent beahviour".....what is abhorrent is people who are trying to limit people's free speech.
Unless someone incites violence or engages in abusive behaviour he should be by 1st amendment rights be allowed to say whatever he wants. I remember seeing Dan and Ned in an interview making a commitment to the 1st amendment when Steemit launched....I wonder what happened since then.
Thanks, @lavater, for this response.
I am too quick and careless in having adopted that term (hate speech). Thank you for pointing that out and describing how the term has been used to excuse oppression. I withdraw it, with appreciation for your clarification.
However, would you be kind enough to comment on my other descriptors? I.e., explicit racism, system gaming/cheating/theft of resources? You've added "inciting violence," about which I also agree.
Do you agree or disagree with my principle point? If people on Steemit are being abusive, engaging in ad-hominem attacks, and so forth, do you see the value of having a separate flagging mechanism?
And by the way, I don't believe our rights originate in any document. They are either real, inherent, and unalienable, or they don't exist at all.
Nice to "meet" you here, and thanks again for responding.
yes I agree with settng up a separate flag system for clear cut abuses: plagiarism, harassment, abusive language etc
Opinions as long as they are expressed in a civil way and not inciting violence, no matter how "abhorrent", should not be flagged.
I think we are "in violent agreement..." ;)
Thank you both for your comments. I agree with you both that the frequently misused term "hate speech" can have a negative impact on free speech. That's why it would be best if there was some sort of two step process involved in downvotes and flagging. One account can downvote/flag and then a second account could weigh in.. these two would obviously not be two accounts working together. I think that would help catch this sort of abuse.
100% agree with you lavater. We need to fight hard against those who are trying to take away our ability to speak up. The 1st Amendment needs to be abided by and upheld.
I think EOS and SMT's are the shiny new toys, Steemit is soooo last year.