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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Free Speech - HotCopper Style

MobyT | 11:09 AM Go to the first of 4 comments. Add a comment
Got this today.  Seems a few people have been stepping close to the line and HotCopper sez "it's not fair".  According to HotCopper, speech should be free (no matter what?)  - except perhaps when they don't agree with it.

Anyway, what chance do you think I have of dipping into the HotCopper Fighting Fund to fight the arguably illegal restriction of my speech on HotCopper?
Dear (name withheld),
You are probably aware that from time to time people take issue with comments that are made on HotCopper. Indeed, sometimes legal action is threatened or taken against members because of statements they have made here. You may have even seen this article in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Sometimes, we think that when this happens it is unfair, and a restriction on the right of Australians to engage in free speech. We know a lot of you think the same way because you've been contacting us and telling us so.
In fact, some of you have asked is there a way that you can donate money to a fund that can be used to help members in financial need to pay for lawyers' fees.

We have therefore set up a discretionary trust called The HotCopper Fighting Fund. If you wish to donate to the fund, see the details below:
Nice to see HC has a pet and very tame journo at SMH.  I wonder if this means HC's G-M isn't going to move to the USA (where Ron Paul lives) after all, to try to escape the 'relentless pressure from lawyers'?

4 comments:

  1. yes Hotwhoppers idea of free speech is too propogate lies and anti science rhetoric.
    Upramp and downramp shares to deceive fellow shareholders. Whinge and abuse the crap out of each other and all with the cowardly anonymity of cyberspace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My curiosity is piqued by HC's relationship with Michael West of SMH. Dispassionate not!

      HC is a great tool for those who get a kick out of surfing the ups and downs of penny stocks. Don't you love it when a stock has dropped 90% and turns into a "great buying opportunity"!

      Delete
  2. Sounds like a perfectly dreadful site. Why did you ever engage in discussions there?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I enjoyed mixing with different types of people (still do) but I guess they didn't :) I did a lot of research while posting there about climate and by doing so learnt a lot. Not just about climate but about nutty and nasty conspiracy theories, denier memes, the extreme right wing world view and a spectrum of unusual (and often irrational) mental models.

      And yeah, for a while a couple of mods put on a half decent act like they didn't mind my posting. It wasn't till the management team ganged up and acted like a lynch mob that I fully realised just how primitive were the oafs who ran the site. (Imagine a mix of infowars, canada free press and the ark - geriatric men only, and a dollop of KKK thrown in for good measure :D)

      There are still a few good people who post there who haven't been chased away.

      Delete

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