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Comment by crayboff | Hacker News Reader

One of the best things and worst things about America is the first amendment. It is amazing that you can say or make just about anything without the government jailing you or shutting you down.

It feels horrible because that freedom necessitates people who believe everyone else has the same ability to say or make anything they want, even if you find that stuff disgusting or risky.

Yes, there are definitely some limits to the right. But we should be cautious about the government making laws to restrict the right.

Should we ban an entire company or force them to sell as soon as we believe they give personal data to another country? Where is the line drawn at which country? What about a Russian based app or a Belarusian based app?

I'm not saying it's wrong, it just makes me nervous.

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I believe the 1st amendment does not apply to foreign entities. These entities are more like foreign agents. Imagine Google, Apple, Microsoft, Tiktok and most of the media companies(i.e Fox, CNN) would be owned by the CCP. What influence do you think they would have over the U.S population if they would be left unchecked? Should they benefit from 1st amendment?

Where is the line? There are a lot of Chinese companies who make things that are used in the US by US citizens. What about companies from other countries like Ukraine, Russia, Germany?

It seems obvious to me that if you deem the said country as enemy/systemic rival that's the line you are drawing. I think the governace model(i.e authoritan/communist) could be another reason. The U.S-China relationship worked so far b/c China didn't show its teeth until few years ago. Now China is supporting Russia in the invasion of Ukraine. Either way the question here if foreign state sponsored entities should benefit from the 1st amendment and IMHO I believe the answer is NO.

Full text 1A:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

There's nothing in there about foreign entities or any other authors of speech. It's about speech (and religion and assembly and petition) itself, which the state is directed to leave the fuck alone. The variety of zany things any particular entity might want to say is not even the main point. Freedom of speech is important because it means we get to hear and read and experience speech from everyone and everywhere. As soon as a line is drawn around speakers we're not allowed to hear, we no longer have the freedom of speech. Many people are confused about this because they habitually speak without listening. Those of us who mostly listen are not confused in this manner.

Russia and Belarus are both members of the Axis of Evil too, so yes??

Who decides who is in the Axis of Evil? Do you want the Biden administration deciding? Do you want Trump to decide?

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