Free Speech Roundup: Month of October, 2018

snaves (39)in #freespeech • 6 years ago

free speech roundup oct2018

A summary of the top free speech related news and events from the past month. This month we have news on online censorship, a federal lawsuit, and blasphemy in Europe.

Freedom of speech is the right from which all other human rights follow because it allows people to address grievances and protest for their other rights. It is therefore of the utmost importance to protect the right to express oneself freely from those who seek to restrict it.

The Google “Good Censor” Memo

https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/10/17961806/google-leaked-research-good-censor-censorship-freedom-of-speech-research-china
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2018/10/09/the-good-censor-google-growth-strategy-shift-towards-censorship-to-appease-authoritarian-governments/
A research presentation by Google employees entitled “The Good Censor” leaked to Breitbart News. It demonstrates the struggle that Google and other tech giants are experiencing between censorship and free speech. They want to “reassure the world that [Google] protects users from harmful conduct while still supporting free speech.” The presentation acknowledges that the Internet and Silicon Valley were founded on the principle of free speech and that “censorship can give governments - and companies - the tools to limit the freedom of individuals.” However, it then also lays out reasoning to police content beyond actual illegal speech. It concludes that the two positions are incompatible and addressing the imbalance requires transparency, consistency, and responsiveness. Google responded that the research does not represent an official company position.

Free Speech Platform Gab Censored

https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/28/18034126/gab-social-network-stripe-joyent-deplatforming-hate-speech-pittsburgh-shooting
https://reason.com/blog/2018/10/29/gab-shuts-down-after-synagogue-shooting
Gab, the free speech-committed social media platform, was suspended from using the services of web host GoDaddy, cloud company Joyent, and payment processors PayPal and Stripe. These tech companies effectively shut down Gab using commercial censorship because they claim it harbors hate and extremism. Gab is associated with the alt right because of its high population of far right people who left other platforms. The actions to shut down Gab come in response to outrage over posts made there by the synagogue shooter, Robert Bowers. Gab should not be held complicit in the actions or posts by a user of the platform. Established social media giants Twitter and Facebook benefit from a double standard and do not face similar repercussions for extremists on their platforms, including pipebomb-mailer Cesar Sayoc who sent actual direct threats.

Lawsuit Challenges South Dakota Campaign Finance Law

https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2018/10/17/institute-free-speech-can-publish-ballot-information-ahead-election-federal-judge-rules/1669288002/
https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2018/10/09/institute-free-speech-sues-state-ahead-november-election/1581513002/
The Institute for Free Speech sued South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and Secretary of State Shantel Krebs over a campaign finance law they contend violates the First Amendment. A federal judge ruled that the materials may be distributed. The group argues that the law regulating independent communication expenditures in political campaigns is too vague and broad and that a requirement that independent communication groups disclose their top five contributors is burdensome. The group says the law’s vagueness prevents them from distributing literature on two upcoming ballot initiatives: “Amendment W, which would impose more campaign finance requirements and lower contribution limits for candidates and political parties, and Initiated Measure 24, which seeks to ban out-of-state donations to committees sponsoring statewide ballot issues.”

Ireland Votes To Repeal Blasphemy Law

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/27/ireland-votes-to-oust-blasphemy-ban-from-constitution
Voters in Ireland passed a referendum to remove the country’s prohibition on blasphemy by a margin of about 65% to 35%. Support for the free speech of blasphemy was especially high among younger voters. Ireland has not prosecuted anyone for blasphemy in over 150 years, but did pass a blasphemy law as recently as 2009 and notably investigated comedian Stephen Fry over comments he made about God on Irish TV. This vote is the latest in a rapid series of changes towards secularization of the highly Catholic country. Gay marriage and abortion were also legalized by recent popular votes. Legislation was already laid out in preparation for the vote to remove blasphemy from the constitution and other laws.

European Court of Human Rights Upholds Blasphemy Conviction

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/defaming-prophet-muhammed-not-free-expression-echr/1292823#
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/its-not-free-speech-criticize-muhammad-echr-ruled/574174/?utm_source=twb
The European Court of Human Rights upheld the 2011 conviction in Austria of a woman referred to as E.S. for blasphemy. She had held seminars presenting the case that the Prophet Mohammed was a child molester. The Austrian court ruled that she was guilty of “disparagement of religious precepts” and ordered to pay a €480 fine. The ECHR ruled that her freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights was not violated. The ruling states the impugned statements go “beyond the permissible limits of an objective debate and classifying them as an abusive attack on the Prophet of Islam, which could stir up prejudice and put at risk religious peace.” Austria would need to join Ireland in changing its laws to end the banning of blasphemy.

What do you think about these stories? Leave a comment below!

Recent Free Speech Roundups:

Free Speech Roundup: Month of September, 2018
Free Speech Roundup: Month of August, 2018
Free Speech Roundup: Month of July, 2018
Free Speech Roundup: Week of June 24th, 2018
Free Speech Roundup: Week of June 17th, 2018