Seems TechDirt's take on Biden's TikTok ban is similar to mine;
"Enacting this legislation has undermined this long standing, democratic principle. It has also undermined the U.S. government’s moral authority to call out other nations for when they shut down internet access or ban social media apps and other online communications tools."
Vancouver Island University, my employer, is now threatening to remove the encampment and have people arrested. I'm absolutely sick.
I had corresponded with our President on May 1. I sent this to our Chancellor, Chair and President today.
Dear Chancellor Sayers, Chair Anderson, and President Saucier,
I am extremely concerned by the escalatory words and actions of VIU today given the encampment’s peaceful and respectful nature and disposition to date. The President has stated to me in her response quoted below on May 1 "that VIU’s approach to the encampment is based on respect and peace for protest and freedom of expression.”
The locking of all campus buildings today and the very clear threat by VIU Security (see attached noticed link) to have peace officers remove tents and equipment under the Trespass Act under threat of arrest is completely contradictory to the President’s statement and is exactly the approach that I flagged to the President as being extremely dangerous and likely to result in harm to the protesters and deep embarrassment to the University itself. There are peaceful ways to do this.
As an institution that is supposed to be fully immersed in the spirit and action of Truth and Reconciliation, I find these statements and actions to be horrendously contradictory, misguided, colonial, and dangerous.
As an individual employee, VIUFA faculty member, and member of this community on Snuneymuxw, Coast Salish and Nuuchanulth lands I am embarrassed, and I beg the University to reconsider and reverse its actions.
Watching the most recent music video of #ToomajSalehi who has been sentenced to death by the government of Iran basically for protesting them and rapping.
Political protest is very important in our society even though it sometimes gets messy. Political protest by youth should be encouraged whenever possible and forgiven where necessary. #FreedomOfExpression#FreedomOfPeacefulAssembly
Last week we published our response to Ofcom's Online Safety Act (UK) consultation.
We've raised concerns about the threat to free expression in requirements to proactively screen users' social media content and measures that undermine end-to-end encryption.
#JonathanAyling gives a fairly nuanced perspective on the free speech implications of calls to censure Prof Joanna Kidman, for her comments about the NatACTs' dopey Boot Camps.
Unity is Division when it comes to the Sunak's speech on extremism last week (UK).
In all the sound and fury, our digital rights are put at risk – from free speech online to redoubling support for Prevent and the hostile environment for migrants.
ORG urges Ofcom to make it clear that companies must ensure human rights and due process considerations are accounted for through all stages of the moderation process.
"If you believe in freedom of speech, you believe in freedom of speech for views you don’t like. Goebbels was in favor of freedom of speech for views he liked. So was Stalin. If you’re in favor of freedom of speech, that means you’re in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise. Otherwise, you’re not in favor of freedom of speech."
In July, we published a legal opinion finding “real and significant issues” on the lawfulness of a prior restraint #censorship clause in the #OnlineSafetyAct.
It warned of “a sea change" for #freedomofexpression in the UK, as platforms must screen content and users from seeing anything deemed illegal.
The opinion found there is “likely to be significant interference with freedom of expression that is unforeseeable”.