pull down to refresh
its one thing to police your own actions and speech because of your own morality. but most of the time, for almost everyone, they police what theyre allowed to think about because they are afraid of social consequences. This is not good for the spiritually developing person.
As far as not buying the "good to have the tools" line, i hope you never have to inderstand it. Countless in history did, and these rights are hard won with blood. The future is a blank page, but if mean reversion is a thing, you can be rest assured someone somewhere is going to need them.
Freedom on the Net 2025...
And saudi arabia is on the UN human rights council. I'd be willing to bet that that organization is run by people who think censorship is good if its for their own causes, and shits on china because it blocks wesrern pro LGBTQ content or whatever, that seems to be the trend these days. I dont trust authoritative institutions like that and nobody should.
In the Freedom on the Net 2025 report, the UK scored 76/100, while China scored 9/100—one of the worst results globally. I do not believe these countries are comparable (although Freedom House did lower the UK’s score, partly due to the rise in criminal prosecutions for online speech — meaning the UK’s problem is not a hoax).
indeed, 12,183 arrests were made in 2023 for the "improper use of a public electronic communications network" — an extremely high number. however, the phrase "arrested for free speech" is too vague: upon closer examination, I could not find a clear line between arrests for overt threats, obscenity, "gross insults", false reports and certain forms of harassment — and expression of opinion or "free speech". I am by no means trying to justify state coercion; yet countering, say, physical threats does not merely curtail free speech — it literally protects it, based on your own definition. I'm not saying that there is no problem here, but that I'd wish to have the better numbers. I do also agree with you, that at least some of these cases are likely far-fetched — or downright nonsence: no one should be arrested for insults. It reminds me of how, in France, there is a criminal penalty for insulting a French politician.
talking about policing thoughts — I really don't see a future, where nobody controls themselves, neither desirable, nor safe, nor productive, nor pleasant. even right-wing libertarians argue that freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility.
talking about the tools — I have already expressed my skepticism regarding this argument, which reminds me more of a slippery slope.