Just another reminder for the masses that everything anyone types gets read by “authorities”.
So no, shouldn’t affect anyone with a brain.
Better get building more jails then
The internet is full of thick twats
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I find the very concept of hate speech hateful.
The problem is that someone ultimately gets to be the moral arbiter of what that is.
Let people say what they want. If something veers into threatening and criminal territory, let the coppers deal with it.
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Not before time. I have seen some vile things written on the internet. If saying such things to another person is unaccepatble then so should writing the same things be unacceptable.
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I am troubled by what this article discusses–although not personally since I doubt they will come after americans. I greatly prefer the closer to absolute freedom of speech we have here. That being said, recent events have caused me to start to question something I have always believed in. The idea is that everyone should be allowed to compete in the market place of ideas and the truth would prevail. Since the rise of FOX news it has become clear that there is no particular reason to believe the truth will prevail over anything but the longest time span and maybe not even then. Surely, for example, the truth of global warming will be clear in 50 or 100 years but by then it may be too late to do something about it or the people in power may choose to blame it on something other than its actual causes.
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The freer we are to say things the freer we are to fight and disagree, all we’ll do is send people where we can’t see or hear what they say. Liberals wanting to close down debate, who’d have thought it?
**Clears throat**
Freedom of speech is the freedom to criticise the government without fear of repraisal.
That does not mean that you are free from consequences.
Nor does it mean anyone has to listen to your shitty opinions.
Nor does it mean you are guaranteed or owed a platform.
Hate speech, or speech that is intended to threaten or intimidate someone actively impedes on the free speech of others. It is not protected speech and never has been.
This is not a new idea. There have been libel and slander laws for some time, as a recognition that speech is a powerful thing - and used incorrectly, or irresponsibly can have severe consequences.
Even in the US, where the 1st Amendment guarantees Freedom of Speech in a way slightly different to ours on these shores - this is still pretty much the case.
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Just to clarify, the above post is in general terms and not aimed at anyone in specific (here or otherwise).
Does this include sexist, racist and homophobic cultural beliefs, or are they protected?
Barry slagging off liberals, who’d have thought it?
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Mm. I’m very familiar with this argument but I must say, I’m very, very troubled with the incredibly low bar that it’s setting for what constitutes free speech - that as long as the police or government aren’t physically trying to shut you up, your right to free speech hasn’t been interceded.
However, free speech is far more than such a technicality - its a cultural norm whereby we seek to allow all arguments and ideas to be given full freedom to be heard, rebuked and argued for and against in a marketplace of ideas. The political left doesn’t support this idea however- and believes that the state, under the control of a liberal government, should be able to decide a priori which ideas are available for public exposure.
Sure, if Milo Yiannopolous, Louis Farrakhan or Douglas Murray or whoever wish to speak at a university and you prevent them doing so, then yes, you can technically say that their ‘free speech’ hasn’t been stopped - but it doesn’t matter, you’re still trying to silence them as best you can, rather than arguing against the points of view that they espouse.
This is essentially why I identify as a conservative.
I believe in freedom of speech, freedom of expression and supporting a culture which seeks to enable free intellectual enquiry to flourish.
That makes me right-wing, which is something I’m happy to embrace.
I think there are a number of other things that identify you as right wing.
I’m left wing and disagree with KRG, and am much more in line with MrTrampoline.
There are laws that cover threatening or malicious communications of any kind. If those are broken, then the law can get involved, but FFS let’s not let the same people who brought you the last 40 years of shite decide what it is you can and can’t say.
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Probably.
My desire for free speech, free expression and robust, open-minded intellectual enquiry is the main thing though.
You could probably say the same about Pap, who’s a lefty
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He’s an old-school leftie though. I’m a new-school righty/libertarian who wants to abolish the Royal Family, legalise all drugs, let everyone love and fuck whoever they like but wants the thought police to stay off muh internetz dammit 
So you’d like to see a crystal meth factory in every UK town, Tesco Express profiting from dealing Spice and Pot, and you’d like to legalise rape, and decriminalise online-bullying and abuse?
If you ever go on a first date, you might want to keep all that to yourself.
Hope the ‘first date thread’ is as much fun as the interview thread 
I am assuming that this new approach to posting “Hate” on the internet will now also apply to the printed word?
Having read many posts and blogs by Muslims in the UK who complain that (primarily) Saudi Funded Mosques across the UK place leaflets and brochures on display on their premises that openly promote radical views.
Don’t want to drag this back into the whole “insensitivity” and “grooming” fields, but there are clear and present situations where Hate is published and preached AND complaints are made to the Authorities and yet no action has been taken.
This is one “example” that I can find without causing offense in my geoogle searches.
Among some of the content found in the material were recommendations to burn, stone, and throw homosexuals from mountains or tall buildings, and inflict the same on those who commit adultery or dare to leave or change their religion.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/adam-deen/saudi-funded-mosques_b_16825640.html
And PLEASE don’t come back with the freedom of speech or Libel Laws exist agrgument. This literature is as offensive to the majority of Muslims as it is to us.