@DaveSharma's folly re Trump's deplatforming from Twitter (1) No one has a right to publication on @twitter or anywhere, otherwise I can demand @SMH publish my letters (2) There's no such thing as a right to free speech, it's a privilege curtailed by laws/social standards. Thread
(3) You can't on the one hand advocate for the free market & on the other hand advocate to control it whenever it does something you don't like (4) Less than almost anyone globally his deplatforming does not restrict his freedom to speak - he has the world's media at his disposal
(5) Allowing the abuse and disinformation propagated by Donald Trump and his ilk actually INHIBITS free speech by discouraging others less influential from speaking through fear of the hate speech he encourages
(6) Limitations on free speech are not "normally done by a publicly accountable body" nor by by private platforms such as Twitter, as Sharma states. Often imposed by others. Look at the number of people that stop using Twitter or FB due to abuse, threats or intimidation
(7) Sharma states "Most of those on the political left who applaud Twitter’s action (do so) because their dislike of Trump (and this) overrides their commitment to free speech. No it's not because of dislike of Trump but because he lies, misleads & incites hate and violence
(8) Sharma asks "What if Twitter is bought out by a climate sceptic who decides to de-platform anyone promoting climate action?" Entirely different issues. Trump promotes hate, violence, insurrection. Promoting climate action is advocating a scientifically proven course of action
(9) Sharma asks "Why is Trump silenced but not Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei when he calls for the extermination of Israel?" This implies that those calling for Trump's deplatforming would not support the same for Khamenei's hate speech. Which is pure hypothesis.
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