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Is 4chan the perfect Pirate Bay poster child to justify wider UK site-blocking?

(torrentfreak.com)
361 points gloxkiqcza | 1 comments | 24 Aug 25 16:30 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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klipklop ◴[25 Aug 25 05:14 UTC] No.45010448[source]▶
The game Alpha Centauri had the most hard hitting quote that I think applies now.

"As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny...Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master. Commissioner Pravin Lal, 'U.N. Declaration of Rights' "

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amelius ◴[25 Aug 25 08:38 UTC] No.45011646[source]▶
> As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny.

This had until recently been only tested for top-down information. Nowadays, everyone can be a broadcaster and we're seeing quite different results.

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api ◴[25 Aug 25 09:39 UTC] No.45012021[source]▶
I feel like totalitarians are learning to hack and exploit the free flow of information using sophisticated propaganda techniques.

Doesn’t mean a locked down system is better though. With that they don’t have to bother.

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AnthonyMouse ◴[25 Aug 25 11:11 UTC] No.45012575[source]▶
Those are two independent problems. If you have a centralized system, you're screwed, because they just capture it. If you have a decentralized system vulnerable to propaganda techniques then they do that.

What you need is a decentralized system resistant to propaganda techniques.

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amelius ◴[25 Aug 25 11:14 UTC] No.45012585[source]▶
Yes, the question is what such a system would look like. E.g. would there be limitations of free speech?
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AnthonyMouse ◴[25 Aug 25 11:25 UTC] No.45012657[source]▶
Of course not. That shouldn't even be possible in a properly designed system.

Rather what you need is a means for propaganda to be rapidly identified and refuted with counterarguments in a way that its would-be victims can see it.

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amelius ◴[25 Aug 25 11:44 UTC] No.45012789[source]▶
I think the problem with such an approach is that the majority of people will stop reading if the arguments become too complicated.

This is how populism works.

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1. account42 ◴[26 Aug 25 08:50 UTC] No.45023991[source]▶
There is no way you can square that viewpoint with the concept of democracy. Either you trust that the general population can make rational informed decisions you must give up the pretense that they can rule over themselves.