28 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Defending the open Internet (again): Our latest brief to the Supreme Court
The right to freedom of association — including the right to freedom **from** association — is a fundamental component of the right to freedom of speech; Compelled association impacts the ability to freely make a statement.
If TXHB20 is upheld by a Supreme Court, it could completely disable Reddit’s ability to set and enforce Content Policy, including the Sitewide Rule against Promoting Hatred Based on Identity or Vulnerability.
Hate groups would set up new subreddits and demand now-closed hate group subreddits be re-opened; their rhetoric would swiftly move from mere hate speech to federal felony violent threats, and the operation of Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremist groups, Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremist groups, and Domestic Violent Extremist groups on Reddit once more.
Any attempt to shut these groups down would devolve to court battles; any attempt by volunteer Reddit moderators to work together to shut these bad actors out of our communities would expose us to being sued or arrested.
TXHB20 would result in the collapse of not just Reddit but all public-facing social media, as they become deluged in extremist hate speech, political propaganda, and criminal activity.
Comment by BelleAriel at 25/02/2024 at 14:35 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
That would be awful. Going backwards.