Should Atheist/Freethought Websites, Forums and Blogs moderate user-generated Content?
Most of my fellow freethinkers recognize the need for some degree of moderation, especially those who are actually involved in building such online resources. A few, however, seem to be under the impression that the answer to the above question is a resounding ‘NO’. I think that their concerns are misguided, ill-informed and counter-productive to the very benefits that they (and other freethinkers) gain from such online portals for atheists/skeptics. Such a position is usually the result of a faulty understanding of freedom of speech, together with lack of a complete understanding of the diverse goals of the freethought movement and the range of challenges faced by freethinkers and freethought groups worldwide.
The purpose of this post is:
1. To present to those freethinkers who are not actively involved in promoting freethought the reasons for why much of their conventional thinking about censorship does not apply when dealing with certain types of distractions on sites and social networks that are dedicated to promoting freethought.
2. To discuss ethical guidelines for censorship on online portals that cater to freethinkers.
Note: I use ‘atheism’ and ‘freethought’ interchangeably in this post, depending on the context. Freethought has a larger focus that atheism, transcending the god question as an identity marker. But usually it is atheism that precipitates the initial break from religious/superstitious modes of thought, and it deserves to be addressed on its own terms. Read the full story
