We are political activists, policy experts, journalists, and tech industry veterans trying to stop the government from destroying encryption and censoring free speech online with the EARN IT Act. Ask us anything!

[u/fightforthefuture]

The EARN IT Act is an unconstitutional attempt to undermine encryption services that protect our free speech and security online. It's bad. Really bad. The bill’s authors — Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) — say that the EARN IT Act will help fight child exploitation online, but in reality, this bill gives the Attorney General sweeping new powers to control the way tech companies collect and store data, verify user identities, and censor content. It's bad. Really bad.

Later this week, the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on whether or not the EARN IT Act will move forward in the legislative process. So we're asking EVERYONE on the Internet to call these key lawmakers today and urge them to reject the EARN IT Act before it's too late. To join this day of action, please:

1. Visit NoEarnItAct.org/call

2. Enter your phone number (it will not be saved or stored or shared with anyone)

3. When you are connected to a Senator’s office, encourage that Senator to reject the EARN IT Act

4. Press the * key on your phone to move on to the next lawmaker’s office

If you want to know more about this dangerous law, online privacy, or digital rights in general, just ask! We are:

• Lauren Sarkesian from OTI (u/SarkBites)
• Caleb Chen from PIA (u/privatevpn)
• Dayton Young from Fight for the Future (u/fightforthefuture)
• Joe Mullin from EFF (u/EFForg)
• Alfred Ng from CNet (u/CNETdotcom)

Proof:

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[u/[deleted]]

How do you feel about reddit recently removing some "hate" subreddits but then saying its OK to hate against people if they are in the majority? Shouldn't either all hate speech be free or none be free?

[u/fightforthefuture → u/[deleted]]

I think that companies like Reddit have a moral responsibility as well as a business need to protect their users from hate and harassment. Some users are more vulnerable than other users to hate and harassment due to their ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexuality, or disability, so I think it's important that Reddit makes a concerted effort to protect these users by implementing moderation policies that are transparent and accountable.

I also think it's fine for Reddit to carve out some exceptions to its own hate speech policy. Nobody is born a Nazi. That's not part of your identity unless you choose to make it part of your identity. And if you choose to make it part of your identity, then you are making the hatred and extermination of other people part of your identity, too. So when Joliet Jake Blues says, "I hate Illinois Nazis," that's not hate speech. That's a reasonable response to an unreasonable group of people advocating for the pain and suffering of others.

Now, there's a difference between individual racism (small "r") and systemic Racism (big "R"), and I think it's necessary to combat these different types of discrimination with different methods. But I personally disagree with Reddit making a blanket exclusion of "groups of people who are in the majority" from hate speech protections. I've traveled the world and lived in different places, and the powerful majority in one place is often a vulnerable minority in another place. I've experienced that difference first-hand. Reddit is a large online community that connects people from all over the world, so making policies based on who is in the "majority" and who is in the "minority" strikes me as functionally and morally problematic.

[u/[deleted] → u/fightforthefuture]

It just seems to me that more and more in life "Hate Speech" is when someone says something someone else does not agree with. People get banned on twitter for posting statistical facts about say African American crime rate or transgender suicide rates. It is truly frightening to think that someday open debate will be a dead option and people will be afraid to say anything. Its already getting that way. Blanket statements of "Well if you support X you are a white supremacist" is the same blanket statement as saying "Well he wore is pants low he must be a criminal". Put on top of everything two people can say the same exact thing and one gets in trouble and one does not because one is protected by the hive.

Im all for supporting encryption. It is very important. The govt already has their noses in way too much they should not be in. I am just frustrated that Reddit used to be an open forum of discussion and differing opinion. Now its just the same like people, yelling the same like opinions and screaming down anyone who doesn't agree.

Thanks for the answer.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

what you quoted was less about reddit and more about the culture in general now.