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Substack says it will not remove or demonetize Nazi content (www.theverge.com)

submitted 11 months ago by breakfastmtn@lemmy.ca to c/technology@lemmy.world

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More than 200 Substack authors asked the platform to explain why it’s “platforming and monetizing Nazis,” and now they have an answer straight from co-founder Hamish McKenzie:

I just want to make it clear that we don’t like Nazis either—we wish no-one held those views. But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don’t think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go away—in fact, it makes it worse.

While McKenzie offers no evidence to back these ideas, this tracks with the company’s previous stance on taking a hands-off approach to moderation. In April, Substack CEO Chris Best appeared on the Decoder podcast and refused to answer moderation questions. “We’re not going to get into specific ‘would you or won’t you’ content moderation questions” over the issue of overt racism being published on the platform, Best said. McKenzie followed up later with a similar statement to the one today, saying “we don’t like or condone bigotry in any form.”

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[–] pelicans_plight@lemmy.world -4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

OK? But I'm going to think Substack is a hardened Nazi supporter whan I all of a sudden don't see Antifa openly talking about their plans for disposing of their Nazi opposition on their platform, which would be appropriate discussion in said situation. I'm also guessing that their coffers are now open to any and all well known terrorist organizations. Maybe we shouldn't of given corporations any power at all, they have proven time and time again to have absolutely no morals.

And I'm going right back to sleep, so if anyone wants to argue about free speech I'll give my opinion on that now. I draw the line at helping sick individuals try to organize the genocide of most of the people on this planet. I'm all fine for a mentally ill person (Nazi) to be yelling their propaganda from their soapbox in the town square, but letting and even helping the Nazis openly spread their well documented genocidal hate is too far for me.

Edit: I'm a little confused about the fast downvotes?

Maybe mentioning that Antifa (you know the opposite of Nazis) should be equally represented if your platform supports Nazis is considered a bad thing here on Lemmy, but that don't make much sense.

Maybe it's just the corporates paving the way for Facebooks infiltration and organized downfall of all their competition?

Maybe it's just the Nazis.

Then again it's probably just me having asd and speaking directly without a filter.

Don't worry though the Nazis have plans for people like me.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Or maybe it's that you have no problem with Nazis using Substack, ostensibly a fundraising platform for writers, to earn money through Substack.

[–] pelicans_plight@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

That's the thing though, I do have a problem with Substack using their platform to support Nazis.

Edit: Maybe I'm ignorant of what Substack hosts already?

Are they already hosting other terrorist organizations?

Edit 2: I think I have been looking past my free speech statement, I just realized this is the first time I've actually advocated for a corporation censoring anyone's speech, that is definitely making me feel a little weird.

My dilemma here is I'm too old, I still remember my grandfather and many other WW2 Veterans telling me their stories, I don't want that to happen ever again, and right now I feel like I truly don't know what to do for the first time in my life.

So this subject is way bigger then Substack.

[–] a_wild_mimic_appears@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 11 months ago

Don't fall victim to the paradox of tolerance. Tolerating intolerance leads to the end of tolerance. Nazis move outside of the social contract, and are therefore not to be tolerated.