They tossed out hateful creep, but innocent others could follow
Led by Apple, major tech platforms have banned conspiracy theorist Alex Jones from their platforms. His website, InfoWars, can still be accessed. His app for that website can still be found in Apple’s App Store. But one cannot now directly download his podcasts on Apple’s iTunes Store, nor can anyone access his page on Facebook or YouTube.
I do not have a problem with these companies blocking Jones from their platforms. Jones is currently being sued by the families of children killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting. Jones claimed, and convinced a few foolish souls, that the grieving parents were actually crisis actors and that the whole thing did not happen. He inspired some unstable souls to harass several of the families.
Jones also pushed a story about a pizza parlor in Washington, D.C., claiming it was a front for a human trafficking operation. One of his listeners showed up at the establishment with a gun, threatening people at the restaurant. Jones even went after the Chobani yogurt company claiming the company had ties to a child sexual assault and somehow was helping spread tuberculosis
His programming repeatedly attacked individual Americans and businesses and, in some cases, caused actual harm to those he attacked as crazy people inspired by his conspiracy theories decided to take action. It is unknown if Jones even believes the stuff he says. Many people think he does not.
Given his history, no private company should be forced to give Jones access to a broad audience to defame others. There is no First Amendment issue here because the government is not involved. But the companies have handled the situation poorly.
Apple, for its part, says it rid itself of Jones for “hate speech.” This is hugely problematic because hate speech is extremely vague. It allows companies enough discretion to mobilize a horde of leftists against anything they do not like. Already, left-wing activists are calling for Apple, Facebook, YouTube, etc. to rid themselves of the National Rifle Association, anyone who expresses doubts about global warming and those who do not accept that transgenderism is normal or gay marriage is appropriate.
Facebook, for its part, says Jones attacked people on its platform and glorified violence. That is a bit better than Apple. Full disclosure — I own stock in both companies. The grounds for tossing Jones should have been defamation, not hate speech. Jones lied about individuals and corporations in specific ways. One might disagree with tossing him, but at least there is some plausible argument with specificity by using defamation as a grounds.
The other problem with “hate speech” is that these companies are signaling Jones has said something they want to keep people from knowing. Curious minds will seek it out. It suggests Jones is the keeper of some gnostic knowledge these companies want to protect people from finding. By banning Jones in this way, these companies make him all the more powerful and influential.
The rise of groups demanding those they disagree with be silenced, helps spread the influence of those being targeted. Relegating them to the shadows and demanding they be quiet only inspires people to seek them out. Satan in the Garden asked Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’ ” Now, it is Apple saying certain things are off limits and there will be new snakes convincing new Eves to go find the hidden knowledge of good and evil. It will end just as badly.
Erick Erickson is the host of Atlanta’s Evening News on WSB Radio.