262 upvotes, 37 direct replies (showing 25)
View submission: COVID denialism and policy clarifications
While we want to be a place where people can explore unpopular views
Sure, I agree. People should be able to debate if a hotdog is a sandwich. But "COVID is a lie and the vaccine will kill you to thin world population" isn't an unpopular opinion, its a blatantly false statement.
Comment by BlatantConservative at 01/09/2021 at 18:01 UTC
87 upvotes, 2 direct replies
/r/unpopularopinion banned covid misinformation like immediately.
Comment by StarrunnerCX at 01/09/2021 at 17:53 UTC
17 upvotes, 8 direct replies
Hotdog is a taco, it's not a debate. Unless a taco is a hotdog. Is a taco a hotdog or is a hotdog a taco?
Comment by JagmeetSingh2 at 01/09/2021 at 18:31 UTC
10 upvotes, 4 direct replies
Yep it’s misinformation that gets people killed. How many anti-vaxxers have succumbed to covid now, how many of them are taking up all the rooms in an ICU
Comment by [deleted] at 01/09/2021 at 19:18 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
And it's pushed by bad actors intentionally trying to get people killed
Comment by Plusran at 01/09/2021 at 19:04 UTC
4 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Comment by [deleted] at 01/09/2021 at 18:26 UTC
-1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
A good proportion of the subreddit were vaccinated though, and just discussing the downsides of lockdowns or the effectiveness of mask mandates.
It's a shame to see this censorship applauded, to quote &TOTSE:
Q: What is TOTSE all about, anyway?
A: A lot of people have some weird idea that this web site is a Bad Place, a place for hackers, software pirates, and anarchists. The reason that they think this is that there are informational text files on here about hacking, piracy, and anarchy.
However, there are also text files on here that discuss politics; democratic, right wing, left wing, libertarian, communist, and everything in between, but this is not a political web site.
There are files on here that discuss Jesus Christ, Muhammed, Buddha, Crowley, John Smith, and "Bob", but this is not a religious web site.
There are files full of short stories, science fiction, humorous articles, and great works of literature, but this is not a literary web site.
There are files with information on rocketry, radio broadcasting, chemistry, electronics, genetics, and computers, but this is not a technical web site.
This web site is about INFORMATION. All sorts and all viewpoints. Some of the information you will agree with, some you will find shocking, and some you will probably disagree with violently. That is the whole point. In this society we go to schools where there is one right answer: The Teacher's. There is one acceptable version of events: The Television's. There is only one acceptable occupation: The pursuit of money. There is only one political choice to make: The Status Quo.
On this web site you are expected to make decisions all by yourself. You get to decide who and what to agree with, and why. You get to hear new viewpoints that you may have never heard before. On this web site people exist without age, without skin color, without gender, without clothes, without nationality, without any of the visual cues we usually use to discredit or ignore people who are unlike ourselves. All of these things are stripped away and the ideas themselves are laid bare.
You will change. You will transform. You will learn. You will disagree.
You will enjoy it.
I'm not even American, my country has never had mask mandates or lockdown at all. Yet I am banned from subreddits for mentioning that, or that I agree with my own government? It's complete madness.
Comment by Kingsolomanhere at 01/09/2021 at 18:53 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
But is a toasted cheese classified as a cheese melt?
Comment by catchinginsomnia at 01/09/2021 at 20:57 UTC
0 upvotes, 4 direct replies
What's your threshold for false statements that should be removed, and what threshold of evidence does it require?
For example, if back in March 2020 I argued strongly that the statements about masks being ineffective were not following multiple studies from Asia after MERS, and that masks absolutely were effective and everyone should be wearing one, under a strict "no covid misinformation" rule, that would have been removed as it directly contradicted the WHO and CDC despite being a scientifically accurate statement. It's clearly a less damaging statement than your example, but back then it could be argued I was posting misinformation that would lead to the deaths of medical staff due to lack of PPE.
The flip side is do we also ban Flat Earth subreddits? It's blatantly false. You may of course be totally consistent and say yes, but personally I would not want Flat Earth subs banned.
I completely understand your position but I am massively skeptical about banning unpopular views and would like to understand how you would differentiate between false and dangerous, and false but acceptable, because if **truth** is the only standard, a lot of subs have to go.
Comment by TurboLover6969 at 01/09/2021 at 19:19 UTC
0 upvotes, 3 direct replies
If you want to be shielded from “blatantly false opinions” it’s rather simple - don’t look at the Reddit in question. The reality is you have a nasty, tyrannical, moralistic streak and you need everyone else to conform to your subscribed groupthink.
Next you’ll have an issue with anyone questioning the official narrative around 9.11, or conversations regarding potential voting fraud, or the right to protest during lockdowns, or scientific questions regarding the isolation of viruses, or alternative healthcare - because all of these can be painted as “dangerous” and “obviously wrong” by you. The fact that your opinion is literally of no interest or consequence to these communities just makes you angry.
How about you stop infringing into other peoples’ freedoms with your fears. Know yourself and be respectful to others, whether they agree with you or not.
Comment by [deleted] at 01/09/2021 at 18:41 UTC*
0 upvotes, 5 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 01/09/2021 at 20:39 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Did you ever even read a single thing posted on /r/NoNewNormal or are you comfortable just talking out of your ass completely? There was a broad spectrum of views on that sub, and most people believed covid was real and has killed people. I never saw a single person on that sub claim to believe that the vaccine has microchips in it that are turned on by 5G or some kind of whacko shit. There were many sane rational people on that sub who dared challenge political decisions made in the name of covid like lockdowns and passports. Free speech is dead on this site and idiots like you are part of the problem.
Comment by Spankatron3000 at 02/09/2021 at 10:45 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Hang on pal. Just back up there.
I want to address your assertion of blatantly false statements before you continue to wield that mono-cultural totalitarian cancel culture club of yours in another blatant attempt to gag dissent.
Firstly - covid is a lie I’m not sure who you think is saying this. What’s actually being said is that we don’t know the truth of covid. In-fact no-one seems to know the truth. And whilst it’s affecting us all, we’re not allowed to question things. Wtf?
Second - the vaccine will kill you Again - not as simple as that. The reality is that vaccines have no long term data. Yes there’s a lot of science in awe of their mercurial arrival - but also a lot of scientists and doctors being actively censored. Right now the public are being told to jab or die. Apparently we must forgo personal diagnosis, bodily autonomy & alternative treatment. When did we lose the right to push back? Medical emergency? Yeah right
Third - to thin world population Ok - some people are saying that. Fair point. But they’re afraid. Others are saying the opposite. But they’re also afraid. If you don’t like the fear then let’s work out where it’s coming from. And that starts on TV. It’s so hyped and politicised right now. So if you don’t want wild conclusions then let’s get to the facts of the matter. The sooner we drop this mass hypnotism and deal with the truth about a middle class economic takedown then the sooner people can drop the scary fear and deal with real problems. But we won’t get there until useful idiots quit the noisy bleating.
Comment by [deleted] at 01/09/2021 at 20:30 UTC
0 upvotes, 3 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 02/09/2021 at 02:56 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Those two aren't mutually exclusive. Something can be both an unpopular opinion and blatantly false. For example; Biden lost the election is both blatantly false and an unpopular opinion since it's believed anyways. An apolitical example is someone thinking that having a 7 and a 2 is a good hand in poker. It objectively isn't since it has lower odds of winning than other hands, but some people aren't exactly aware of those things. Also, I think that the word opinion implies that the content is inherently subjective. I wouldn't ask someone's opinion on the solution of a math problem if that makes sense. You should stick with the word views since if doesn't necessarily have to be realistic and is consistent with their tone.
Comment by [deleted] at 01/09/2021 at 22:11 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Have you not seen the moderna patent? The shit about lipid nanotechnology and graphene oxide? If you aren't a scientist then you can't say with 100% certainty that the vaccine is 100% safe. The ex VP of Pfizer and hell even the inventor of mRNA vaccines technology says that these vaccine have the potential to be extremely dangerous. There is an absolute lack of scientific method being abided by in the FDA studies, not to mention the criteria by which they are calculating covid statistics, recording deaths etc. Please do as much research as you can before putting anything experimental in your body. This is not about politics this about bodily autonomy and civil liberties, both of which are being eroded away as we speak.
Comment by [deleted] at 01/09/2021 at 19:19 UTC
0 upvotes, 4 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by Predatatoes at 01/09/2021 at 22:37 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
How many Subreddit should be banned for misinformation about Trump?
Like "very fine people"? Or "Russian bounties"?
Both of those were 100% lies.
Weird how 'misinformation' literally only became a problem when the left's authoritarianism is being questioned. Wow, almost like what authoritarians would do to control people.
Comment by duffmanhb at 01/09/2021 at 23:55 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
The issue isn't that extreme opinion, but the surrounding ones which aren't as cut and dry as "COVID is a lie". The problem with this censorship is that it's now cutting into ancillary discussions. When I briefly browsed NNN, most of it was surrounding how COVID is overblown, and this lockdown is being used to justify trampling on rights, etc... Calling it an outright lie was hardly discussed.
But the message is now clear... There is a narrative, and "proper opinion" on reddit. Questioning it, discussing it, or anything that's not officially approved thought, is not allowed. This sucks.
Comment by MannieOKelly at 01/09/2021 at 22:15 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Seems to me that a post like that would not have much impact. Maybe I credit people with the sense to at least think twice about "blatantly false" statements.
At the point a statement is not "blatantly false", who is to judge that it's "misinformation"?
I want to see ideas compete.
If I had one change to make here, it would be to ban downvotes. If someone thinks a post is BS, let him/her provide a comment so other can judge the relative merits. Being able to upvote provides just as good a measure of "popular opinion" as having both up- and down-votes.
Comment by oatmeal_colada at 01/09/2021 at 23:13 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Stating that we would have a vaccine before the end of 2020 was misinformation, until it wasn't. The Wuhan lab leak theory was misinformation, until it wasn't. Fauci's statement that masks won't protect you from covid was gospel, until it wasn't.
You're going down a very dangerous road when you start banning any kind of discussion that goes against the current mainstream narrative. Maybe you agree with it now, but there sure as shit will come a time when you wish you hadn't.
Comment by terminateMEATBAGS at 02/09/2021 at 00:22 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Blatantly false? You have insider evidence? I'm not saying it's been created to wipe people out, but let's be honest you have as much a clue as the horse pill people. The faith so many of you put into 'dis media website on teh intranets said it so it true and good 4 all ppl our govt would nevar hurt us'
You don't know that. No one does. I am vaccinated, but let's stop pretending like we 100% know everything just to prove a point to dumbasses trying to get rid of their worms.
Comment by askforcar at 01/09/2021 at 19:32 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I agree, the "unpopular conspiracy" should be banned if it produces harm. Like the hotdog vs sandwich debate is fine and dandy, but if an alien species invaded Earth and demanded to have all that we call a "sandwich" and gave us a picture of a square flat bread slices with ham in the middle, and if every wrong food we give them they shoot a hostage, we better not give them hotdogs.
Comment by ClappedSwede at 02/09/2021 at 00:45 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Lets be real and dispell the notion that Reddit as a company even gave a shit about the misinformation or manslaughter that accured due to it.
They gained something by having them and. The same as they're keeping the "conservative" subs alive for some reason. They keep them around untill they cost them money.
Comment by Seawolf87 at 01/09/2021 at 18:42 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Arguing a statement's truthiness is one thing (and a legit form of discussion), but this is more like beating up a person shouting "fire!" in a movie theatre while the theatre is on fire and people are screaming in pain. Then that person turning around and saying "there's no fire". It's malicious ignorance.
Comment by OneAndOnlyBurner at 01/09/2021 at 23:42 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Sure we should all be able to have silly debates like which music video was more empowering to trans wheelchair kids, what the next minority group to recieve ‘hate’ will be and whether or not we should be able to make basic medical decisions with freedom vs. force/blackmail?