The State Will Never Shut Down Social Networks « beyondclicktivism
►http://beyondclicktivism.com/2011/08/12/the-state-will-never-shut-down-social-networks
On Christmas Eve in 1913 in Calumet, Michigan at a crowded party for striking mine workers and their families, seventy-three people were trampled to death in a panicked rush for the exits when someone shouted “Fire!”. Fifty-nine of the dead were children. There was no fire.
Woody Guthrie’s song “1913 Massacre” blames the event on strike-breaking thugs hired by the mines and it is a dramatic illustration on the necessary limits free societies place on free speech. Reckless and malicious speech – popularly described as “falsely shouting fire in a crowded theatre” – is not a protected or guaranteed right.
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This will never happen.
Technically, politically, economically it is impossible.
Technically, it is impossible. Those who want to use communications networks to cause trouble will find ways around the censor ....
Politically, it is impossible. Those who used social networks to share vital information when press and police were absent will not stand for a government that tries to close their only avenue of communication.
Economically it would be a disaster. Business would not stand for it.
To consider shutting down social networks because one person might shout “fire!” is as willfully ignorant and dangerous as suggesting that after someone shouts “fire!” in a crowded theatre we should switch off all the lights.
David Cameron may have shown extremely poor judgement over the last week but even he is not that stupid.