Thread by @sunnshiiny

I’m on a blocking party. Grabbing a coffee and having fun sending trolls and bots to the dustbin.

Nothing like a swarm of hateful cons to demonstrate a coordinated disinformation campaign is afoot.

Told ya they’re panicking.

Along with panicked bullying to intimidate dissent and clarity, the presence of disinformation is as thick as mud.

User generated content is not being regulated. That would be an infringement of freedom.

Instead, owners of the media (the platforms) are to be held accountable.

Just like radio and television are regulated by the owners of the corporations who access their respective public utilities.

That way it’s safe to let children watch TreeHouse channel because consumers know the programming will be appropriate for the age range of viewers.

But HBO comes with a warning before every program giving viewers indication that age appropriateness of the program is not necessarily for all age ranges. In fact most of it is geared towards an adult audience. But even then, profanity, nudity, & provocative content are flagged.

I like HBO. It’s one of the few channels I watch regularly. Because it’s content can be thought provoking and entertaining. I’m thankful I’m no longer forced to endure Max and Ruby on TreeHouse. Toddler years are over for me. Thank goodness. But I digress.

Radio was always on in my youth. Talk radio and music were mainstays in my upbringing. And sports broadcasting. My grandfather preferred radio. I preferred television and my kids definitely prefer internet.

The problem is that the internet is unregulated.

You never know the authenticity or validity of the information found on the net. Teaching my children to navigate such a uninhibited environment has been a challenge.

My youngest frequently brings disinformation to my attention that he perceives as fact or valid opinion.

Regulation would allow parents and all others to more easily discern the validity and veracity of information and more easily discern the integrity of the creator. But it won’t remove most dishonest & distasteful content. Although the current disinformation campaign says it will.

On the contrary. Most toxic far left & far right BS content will continue to be produced & hosted on a number of internet based portals. But it would come with a warning that owners of the medium would be responsible to advise viewers, or for purely auditory podcasts, listeners.

That isn’t censorship or user generated content control. It a classification system to provide consumers the ability to discern the type of content they wish to access. If you want to soak your brain in conspiracy theories and faulty logic, you watch Ancient Aliens on TV.

If you want to do the same on the net, you choose Bannon talk radio, or watch Rebel News. That won’t change at all, regardless of the lies cons are spinning right now.

Consumers won’t be forced to navigate a Wild West environment.

Viewers and listeners will have the ability to choose their content based on preferred characteristics. Like factual information, reality vs fiction, standards each host of content would generate themselves.

You ever notice how every Hollywood movie says whether it’s pure fiction or based on real life at the end of the movie? That’s industry level oversight. To protect the production company from liability for the content. Aka regulation required by government policy.

The industry polices itself. Rating EVERY movie. General audience content is labelled differently than Restricted Adult.

Consumers of the product choose the movie they want. Good, bad or insanely bad. Choice is subjective. You’re free to watch whichever movie you want.

Theatres restrict access based on age appropriateness, but consumers are left to make that decision independently outside of theatres.

Even graphic pornography is available to everyone at home. That is unless you volunteer your a curious 12 year old boy looking to gawk.

Regulations provide information for consumers to make decisions about the products and content they want to access.

But right now that environment is a free for all. Youthful exuberance and curiosity frequently blocks discernment and good judgement.

Especially when there is no available warning to advise of the nature of the content.

We are all subject to willful and intentional disinformation campaigns. Savvy internet users can easily navigate, but most of us aren’t savvy. Most of us need a label to make good decisions.

There are people who believe covid is a hoax, because they read it on the internet. There are people who have consumed bleach to treat covid symptoms or prevent infection. Many of them have died. There are many who believe in a “deep state” and that every non-con is a pedophile.

Because there is no indication that wild and crazy conspiracy theories are less reliable information than vetted information sites. There are physicians and scientists willing to intentionally misinform for large sums of money.

And there are a plethora of cons attempting to sell you “freedom” snake oil so they can continue to offer bullshit as valid opinion.

Choosing is freedom. There is no freedom when coercion, lies, gaslighting and propaganda are used to manipulate vulnerable people.

Or should we just laugh rather than issue warning to grannies who are swindled out of life savings because they chose to believe the lies grifters told them to part with their savings?

Regulations are not the enemy. Information is not censorship.

Promoting responsible oversight of internet platforms is not control of user content.

Everyone deserves safety and trust in communications with others. It’s only grifters, liars, saboteurs and the corrupt who won’t reveal what’s in their koolaid before you drink it.

Trust is a two way street. A platitude. But pertinent nonetheless.

Conservatives are telling you to trust no one. No one but them. Only they speak truth.

What is the ideology of the people spreading disinformation?

It’s the same as the people selling bleach as a covid treatment, marching unmasked in protests with tiki torches, refusing to enforce covid restrictions, creating policy that kills and disables those who contract covid, engineering hospitals imminent collapse.

Trust is not to be extended to those whose only goal is to deceive & profit.

We need to support legislation to aid in discerning who those people are.

Who do you trust? Those who shamelessly lie and smear or those who’ve protected the nation from covid for 14 months?

I found this analogy spot on to elucidate content regulation.

You’re free to buy sour milk. But regulations mean you know it’s spoiled at the point of purchase. That’s all the regulation Bill C-10 proposes. For platforms to label their products for consumer benefit & safety.

@threadreaderapp please compile