Twitter Project Veritas and "Alex's House"

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I just had to come and talk about this because I think this recent news event illustrates a point I've been trying to make here for years.

Here's the news event: https://www.projectveritas.com/2018/01/ ... -messages/

Here's my point: I know people these days like to call social media "platforms" but I think it's important to remember that both Twitter and WP are virtual spaces. I think WP could be compared to a house that Alex owns and visits but does not live in and Twitter can be thought of as a giant Walmart. Using the Project Veritas example, let's pretend that I just brought an obscene photograph into Alex's house. Either he or a moderator (a person watching his house while he is away) would say something like, "Get that out of here and don't come back. This isn't that kind of house." We certainly don't expect to bring anything in the world into other people's houses, right? That is not something you would do in a real house is it? YOU don't own the house, or lawfully live there, and it's not a public space.

But what would happen if we brought an obscene photograph into a giant Walmart? A person in authority MIGHT throw us out, or warn us, saying "that stuff isn't allowed". But then also maybe another person might look at the photo, take it, copy it, use it for their own purposes. Walmart might take it and use it themselves. They might choose to put up something in the back room with our name, face, and address on it, along with the obscene picture, noting that we are into that and maybe they can use that in the future for whatever reason. Again, it's not a public space, so we don't have control over what another person (entity) does once we bring something into their private space. We really don't know what happens to improper speech or media once it's brought in, and in many cases the rules themselves are not even clear (with the shadowbanning etc).

This is why I'm continually grateful for spaces like this, which allow public debate in a private forum. I know a lot of us get this already and are also appreciative, but I just wanted to drive the point home for people who hadn't thought about it before. There aren't a lot of places like this left. Where there is an actual person with a known agenda (autism advocacy and neurodiversity) that we can trust. How many sites do we all visit every day where this is not the case? We don't know who runs it, what they are after, and the rules for respectful speech are not clear?

So thanks Alex for running a tight ship, giving us all a forum that is old school in it's spirit of discourse and respect, but modern enough in technology so we can all navigate and post things without it looking like geocities.

You can sock it to them before Big brother does, but which ever way round you choose to look at it, this is a classic social media platform, that will never go away and respect the privacy of people who don't use it that much.
Anxiety channels fear, so unless you are made to grow out of boredom, some of these channels open flood gates that are better left closed. Some owners choose to flounce off their forums in different ways without trying to exploit people. Those who don't know what they're doing, come off wrong. If you can't advocate the needs of vulnerable people in a safe environment such as this place, then you shouldn't be advocating at all through the watchful eyes of the media. Half the time, they are up to no good. So, I agree with you on downplaying concepts and streaming confidential stuff into a friendly peace zone rather than an unhealthy social media blockade. The irony isn't lost on me, but it proves nothing but immoral degradation that it will serve on other people I'm sure.