Protect Free Speech on Twitter - Don't Censor Topics Regarding Homosexuality
There is a petition going on at this very site urging twitter to censor offensive trending topics related to homosexuality. The examples of un-acceptable trending topics they use are
#Howtomakeadykehappy and #ThingsMenshouldntexteachother.
While it's unfortunate that twitter is sometimes used for abuse, we are concerned that censoring specific topics could go too far. We believe that people holding various views on homosexuality should be allowed to discuss them on twitter without being censored, even though we may find some of these tweets distasteful. Furthermore we are concerned that if this topic is censored, other topics will be censored too. When twitter starts deciding what topics are acceptable and not acceptable, they run the risk of endangering their reputation as a site that fosters free speech.
If twitter does decide to censor (which we discourage), we hope at very least they will do it in a way that does not single out a particular topic or issue. For example, if twitter decides to censor trending topics containing derogatory homosexual terms they should also censor trending topics containing derogatory terms for other groups (gender, race, religion, ethnicity, ect.). But any censorship should be considered cautiously...in that it could end up limiting speech in ways that was not intended.
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If you agree with this, please sign the petition.
We the undersigned would like to urge you NOT to implement censorship on twitter. Another petition is currently circulating you to censor offensive trending topics related to homosexuality. Their examples of un-acceptable trending topics are #Howtomakeadykehappy and #ThingsMenshouldntexteachother.
While we believe it's unfortunate that twitter is sometimes used for abuse, we are concerned that censoring specific topics could go too far. We believe that people holding various views on homosexuality should be allowed to discuss them on twitter without being censored, even though we may find some of these tweets distasteful. Furthermore we are concerned that if this topic is censored, other topics will be censored too. When twitter starts deciding what topics are acceptable and not acceptable, they run the risk of endangering their reputation as a site that fosters free speech.
If twitter does decide to censor (which we discourage), we hope at very least they will do it in a way that does not single out a particular topic or issue. For example, if twitter decides to censor trending topics containing derogatory homosexual terms they should also censor trending topics containing derogatory terms for other groups (gender, race, religion, ethnicity, ect.). But any censorship should be considered cautiously...in that it could end up limiting speech in ways that was not intended.
