Post by amyghost on Jun 1, 2019 14:24:15 GMT
It's just another case of the net demonstrating that wherever robust difference of opinion might be brewing, the First Amendment flies out of the window.
I've seen a number of atheist-based websites (some run by academic and scientific figures) where anyone disagreeing with, or seriously attempting to debate with the host's point of view is quite quickly blocked and banned from posting comments, many times with the ban being irreversible. One might think that these sites in particular would champion freedom of expression and rational debate, but as often as not this is far from the case. So if they can't handle it, why should we think that sites where it may not necessarily be assumed that logic and lucidity reign foremost are apt to respond in any other way than to block any and all comments?
My view is: you either have freedom of speech or you don't. If your site isn't able to support this dictate, then either be honest about that upfront with your readership, or perhaps you're better off suspending comments altogether. And then, many of your readers may find they're just as satisfied to dispense with reading your website. If comment suspension becomes the accepted norm, I suspect a number of these sites might very well end up dying of attrition, as perhaps they should.
I've seen a number of atheist-based websites (some run by academic and scientific figures) where anyone disagreeing with, or seriously attempting to debate with the host's point of view is quite quickly blocked and banned from posting comments, many times with the ban being irreversible. One might think that these sites in particular would champion freedom of expression and rational debate, but as often as not this is far from the case. So if they can't handle it, why should we think that sites where it may not necessarily be assumed that logic and lucidity reign foremost are apt to respond in any other way than to block any and all comments?
My view is: you either have freedom of speech or you don't. If your site isn't able to support this dictate, then either be honest about that upfront with your readership, or perhaps you're better off suspending comments altogether. And then, many of your readers may find they're just as satisfied to dispense with reading your website. If comment suspension becomes the accepted norm, I suspect a number of these sites might very well end up dying of attrition, as perhaps they should.