They had years before the pandemic of being told their opinion was “reprehensible” and have been blamed for everything for five years. Even so, getting the result they voted on is likely more important than having Gary Lineker endorsing their opinion.

[Link]

Certainly, hence the unanswerable question of privacy vs protecting the public. In a sense we're asked the question, what are we more okay with, easing the path of or to extremism and abuse (by attempting to provide complete privacy on these platforms) or enabling government control over the whole of society with zero scrutiny, consequence or accountability for them (by allowing encryption and privacy to be totally done away with). That clearly leads nowhere appealing either (think China). From sting operations and the like we see that platforms like TOR are used by many thousands of abusers, but thankfully many allow themselves to be entrapped, much in the same way that those operating at religious extremes do.

With the political and religious side of things, what we can say is that people most often do not even have any personal insight, reflective ability or recognition of their own behaviour anyway when they are mentally drifting from commonly understood norms. They're unlikely to be totally Joe Average one day and completely batsh!t politically the next, so government no doubt know signs to keep an eye on prior to people disappearing onto these platforms. Of course in general we're fine with this happening when it's Muslims under scrutiny, but it's interesting how 'what's their side of the story' it gets or how 'misunderstood' they were when it's not. In all communities, people need to steer others away from normalising or excusing individuals, organisations and ideologies that raise real concerns. Where we don't, we all lose out.

Edited by BlueJay (09 Sep 2021 11.16am)

I am completely aware of my own biases. Mine are towards fairness, equality, tolerance and a dislike of extreme views of every kind.

I am no more a guardian of truth than anyone else. I am though able to separate opinion from fact.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

That is precisely what you are not able to do.

Exactly this, never a truer word HTG.

Responsibility Deficit Disorder is a medical condition. Symptoms include inability to be corrected when wrong, false sense of superiority, desire to share personal info no else cares about, general hubris. It's a medical issue rather than pure arrogance.

I am glad, for once, that you seem to agree with me.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.