Microsoft threatens to stop hosting Gab unless posts are removed
A common argument in philosophy is that bad ideas should occur in the open - where everyone may ridicule them. When they are cast to the shadows they can grow, under everyone&#x27;s noses, in private where only there are they allowed to exist. In private, these bad ideas cannot be challenged by others and people will be convinced to believe in them, with nobody challenging the idea as a genuinely terrible idea.<p>It gives bad ideas a breeding ground to foster and <i>you&#x27;d never even know about it</i>. By publicly prohibiting speech all that happens is it is brushed under a rug and people pretend it doesn&#x27;t exist. That doesn&#x27;t make the problem go away, it&#x27;s the same as shutting your eyes and covering your ears and pretending the monster in front of you no longer exists. If you get to define certain speech as unspeakable you justify the censorship of <i>any</i> speech determined to be unspeakable when you lose power and someone else steps up to the plate. As history has shown - it&#x27;s a matter of &quot;when&quot; not &quot;if&quot;.<p>Actions like this serve to placate the public. The general public won&#x27;t be angry at Microsoft for censoring platforms &quot;known for&quot; or &quot;complacent of&quot; hate speech (or worse). It&#x27;s <i>always</i> a slippery slope though. Once you open up the can of worms that is censorship you justify future censorship.<p>I wait to see what will be next on the chopping block.<p>Edit: A few too many responses to respond to everyone, but if anyone would like to speak with me on it more in depth feel free to email me - information on how to contact me can be found on my profile.