In August 2021, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to YouTube Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Susan Wojcicki raising concerns about YouTube’s then-latest censorship of religious and politically conservative speech. Specifically, Rubio questioned three incidents and demanded that the Google-owned company clarify how each incident resulted in a violation of YouTube’s community guidelines.
In the letter, Rubio questioned a “series of actions by YouTube to censor or otherwise restrict the speech of its users, particularly … a pattern of apparent political and religious bias on YouTube’s part.”
And as we reported in January, conservative podcaster and Fox Nation host Dan Bongino was permanently banned by YouTube after he announced that he… was leaving… YouTube.
In October, we reported on YouTube removing a popular “Lets’ Go Brandon” song, claiming it did so due to “medical information.”
And in August, as we reported, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) went after YouTube after the platform removed two of his videos over his comments about COVID-19 — which proved to be right.
I’m not sure when YouTube became an arm of the government, and I’m not really sure it’s good for journalism to also be an arm of the government without any repercussions or push back. My hope is that maybe through competition we’ll prove them to be wrong in their ways.
Memo to Marco Rubio, Dan Bongino, Rand Paul — and conservatives across the fruited plain: YouTube is going to keep YouTubing and is not interested in “competition” to “prove them wrong in their ways.” Therefore, we must stop them. Simple solution, not easy to do.
On the contrary, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki is urging the federal government to outlaw “harmful” speech on its platform, and presumably others on social media so, in effect, YouTube doesn’t “have to” censor it.
“It” being whatever YouTube deems to be “harmful.”
During an interview with TIDE TV in Germany, as reported by Reclaim the Internet, Wojcicki admitted that YouTube’s policy of censoring legal content that it deems to be “harmful” is controversial. Her solution? She urged governments to step in and pass “stronger” laws against free speech that YouTube and other platforms can easily enforce.
Sure, why not? If YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook determines that content (of whatever kind) is “harmful,” the federal government should simply tamp down on the First Amendment rights of Americans. You know, to make Big Tech’s job “easier.” What could possibly go wrong?
As transcribed by Reclaim the Internet:
“We work around the globe, and … certainly there are many different laws and many different jurisdictions, and we … enforce the laws of the various jurisdictions around speech or what’s considered safe or not safe. [By whom?] “What has been the controversial part is when there is content that would be deemed as harmful but yet is not illegal. [There she goes again: “Harmful.” But not “illegal.”
In other words, Ms. Wojcicki, “harmful” based on opinion — not facts. And the collective opinions of left-wing social media platforms, to boot.
Again, what could possibly go wrong? Beginning with healthy debate and sharing of facts that run counter to the left-wing narrative.
Wojcicki provided an “example.”
An example of that, for example, would be COVID. [Who knew?] I’m not aware of there being laws by governments … around COVID in terms of not being able to debate the efficacy of masks or where the virus came from or the right treatment or proposal. [Wait — should there be?]
[Y]et there was a lot of pressure and concern about us distributing misinformation that went against what was the standard and accepted medical knowledge. And so this category of harmful but… legal has been, I think, where most of the discussion has been.
Our recommendation, if governments want to have more control over online speech [Governments? How about “Democrat Parties” — as in “The”?] is to pass laws to have that be very cleanly and clearly defined so that we can implement it.
“Standard and accepted medical knowledge.” Really? Let’s see…
New Study: Lockdowns Had Little Effect on COVID Mortality, ‘Devastating Effects’ on Society
‘Loyal, Left-Leaning Democrat’ Torches Party Over COVID School Lockdowns
They’re Finally Getting Honest About Those Masks They Forced You to Wear
Wojcicki has previously called on the U.S. government to offer guidance on “hate speech,” and largely has called for further government censorship — likely so that YouTube can pass on the responsibility of censoring content to governments, rather than admit that the company is censoring content based on its own policies.
Some things never change. As the left and its media (news, punditry, and social) see it, anything you say or write that runs counter to the narrative(s) of what they believe is (pick one or more): dangerous, scary, conspiratorial, crazy, should be illegal.
YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the other major socials continue their incessant drive to shut you up, conservatives.
Do not let them silence you.
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