This week, PayPal decided to suspend the accounts of the Free Speech Union, the outfit run by Toby Young.
While I don’t have much time for Toby Young, the FSU is apparently a real union that represents people on freedom of speech issues.
It’s not the first time it has happened either. Many of the big tech companies are now intervening on political issues, banning or demonetising. It’s a lot of power to not to be held to account.
Does this sort of thing need to be controlled by less private interests?
Looking a just UK society, there’s an argument that they need to be completely separated from political power / access to lobbying the Government - likewise being political arbiters of what’s right or wrong on tinternet - but it’s not going to happen.
I guess the question is, can one live without their services? They are only a service after all. If not, the were fucked if so, then it’s about mass pressure. As AI becomes more influential in our lives, I think the choice becomes less available. Glad I’m getting on as I fear for our kids and their kids.
Honestly, I think they’ve transcended that a little bit, not through any effort of the companies. It’s more about the connections they’ve fostered, the human experiences they’ve enabled, the incomes they’ve helped to sustain.
And besides, every nationalised industry that ever existed was at some point, a private service and this is no new thing either.
I was amazed to learn that the Romans never had a municipal fire service. A load of private companies providing a service and their mark wasn’t on your house, they’d let it burn down.