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Comment by rbanffy | Hacker News Reader

And this is why the price for Twitter was, in the end, remarkably low.

Yeah, this was always the play looking back in hindsight. Like, I didn't get it, "why would you pay that kind of money for a web forum?!" It wasn't the forum that was important, Twitter (for better or worse) has wormed it's way into the fabric of American discourse. He was basically buying the ideological thermostat for the country and turning the dial to the right.

This is even worse outside of NA. In many countries it is the de facto communication channel of government and businesses.

Or from the other perspective: Meta and Google have had their finger on the scale for more than a decade (along with old twitter).

In twitters case, you had regime officials directing censorship illegally through open emails and meetings.

It's no surprise that the needle moves right when you dial back the suppression of free expression even a little bit (X still censors plenty)

How is it illegal? It is their platform to do what they want with it. You can disagree and not use it, but it is theirs to do with as they see fit. If this was a government run operation paid for with tax dollars, then it would be an issue.

I think that, when you cross a certain level, you ought to be held responsible for the influence you exert on society. All political power needs to come from the popular vote, through fair elections.

>How is it illegal? It is their platform to do what they want with it.

It was illegal for the officials who did it, not for Meta/Google to follow their orders. That part was merely unethical.

as opposed to the government funding turning it to the reality bending left? There was direct communication from Senators and members of Congress directing twitter to block and ban based on certain topics. And Twitter obliged.

If you think Elon's hand on the scale isn't pushing an agenda too I have a bridge to sell you. This was always about power.

dark

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