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1. UncleO+(OP)[view] [source] 2022-11-03 15:49:13
> Because before the Eternal September, it was HARD to participate. So, virtually nobody did it

This is an important point, I think. There's a generational aspect to this. Those of us who came of age prior to the internet (and especially social media) being ubiquitous don't really have an expectation that we're owed a forum where we can just say anything that's on our mind. As one of those olds, whenever I hear people complaining about "censorship" on whatever social media platform it kind of sounds entitled to my ears. We didn't expect to have a platform prior to about 2005 or so. We didn't have 'followers'. We discussed politics with a few friends in a bar over drinks. But now so many people seem to expect these private companies to provide them with a platform where they should be able to say whatever they want. Freedom of speech doesn't guarantee you a platform for that speech.

replies(1): >>count+I8
2. count+I8[view] [source] 2022-11-03 16:23:34
>>UncleO+(OP)
Prior to social media, it was basically impossible for any random person to get a platform for their speech, so nobody really thought about it.

Now, like electricity and water, it's become so fundamentally entwined with modern living that folks see it (maybe rightfully) as a common right.

edit: I'm not sure it's generational as much - the folks complaining about it the loudest seem to be older, non-technical folks.

replies(1): >>UncleO+za
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3. UncleO+za[view] [source] [discussion] 2022-11-03 16:30:55
>>count+I8
> Now, like electricity and water, it's become so fundamentally entwined with modern living that folks see it (maybe rightfully) as a common right.

It doesn't feel like it's fundamentally entwined like electricity or water - It would be tough to live without electricity or water. But I live just fine without social media - in fact, I think my quality of life has gone up after deleting my twitter account back in May. And to a large degree, I think we're worse off as a society than we were prior to the emergence of social media.

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