The Beneficial Effects of Restricting Internet Speech

Cecil Eng Huang ChuaInformation Technology & Operations

Managementaehchua@ntu.edu.sg

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ICIS 2004 CFP

• One of the most significant impacts of information systems has been their effect on promoting free and unfettered exchange of information across boundaries

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Introduction

• Tacitly accepted model of Internet Speech

Accessibility Diversity of Speech

Democracy

Anonymity Citizen Participation

• Is this model true?

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This Research

• Free speech suppresses speech• Restricting speech allows speech

If speech is not restricted, other speech cannot existSuppressed by “free” speech

• Free speech and censorship can co-exist in InternetSome places “free”Some places “censored”Encourages greater diversity of speech than purely

“free” speech

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Methodology

• Proof by counterexampleAt least one case where speech exists because other

speech is restrictedShow situation is generalizable

• Case site Jewish newsgroupsSoc.culture.jewishSoc.culture.jewish.moderatedOther Jewish newsgroups

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Soc.culture.jewish

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Soc.culture.jewish.moderated

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Intention of soc.culture.jewish/moderated

• Talk about Jewish practicesJewish holidaysLeading a “good” Jewish lifeSourcing for Jewish paraphernaliaHolocaust rememberance

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Soc.culture.jewish Not Intended For

• Hate speech

• Judaism vs. Other Cultural Practices

• Israel

• Mid-east Politics

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However

• Anti-semites, missionaries, etc. need a Jewish audience• Jews didn’t want to hear this speech• Anti-semites, missionaries, etc. would “ride” on Jewish

conversation

The jew Jacov Kurovsky on the orders of the jew Trotsky, shot and then bayoneted to death The Tsar, his wife, 5 children, their doctor, servanats and even their little pet spaniel in the cellar where they had been held since thier arrest by the bolsheviks.Re: Holocaust Calendar: February 20, February 19, 2003

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Jews couldn’t talk

• Fear of victimization

• Disruption of conversation by Jew-haters

• Lots of “noise” to read signal

the combination of the high volume of postings and the large portion of those which are either off-topic, indiscriminately crossposted … or anti-Semitic has driven many readers and posters away from the newsgroup.RESULT: soc.culture.jewish.moderated moderated passes 212:34, July 9, 2000

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Jews couldn’t create new newsgroup

• Anti-semites, missionaries, etc. follow to other newsgroups

• Need Jews to hear speech

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Final Solution

• Create New Newsgroup

• Restrict posts: Human moderatorsNo mid-east politicsNo hate speechNo sermonizing

Yes, believe it or not. There are still real Jews who post to this swamp we call SCJ. However, if you would like Jewish conversation without having to wade through the antisemitism, missionaries, etc. you can post to SCJM (soc.culture.jewish.moderated).Is anyone here Jewish?, March 4, 2004

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Postings in NewsgroupCategory SCJM SCJ

2003SCJ 1999

% SCJM % SCJ 2003

% SCJ 1999

Newsgroup Governance 8 5 2 5.3% 0.4% 0.4%

Jewish Culture 91 25 70 59.9% 2.2% 13.5%

Non-Jewish Culture 10 29 62 6.6% 2.5% 11.9%

Anti-Jewish 2 285 133 1.3% 24.8% 25.6%

Israel 7 192 84 4.6% 16.7% 16.2%

Mid-East Politics 0 206 9 0.0% 17.9% 1.7%

Holocaust 0 12 8 0.0% 1.0% 1.5%

Off topic 34 392 151 22.4% 34.1% 29.0%

Total 152 1146 520 100% 99.8% 99.8%

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Jewish newsgroups today

• Soc.culture.jewishVenue for hate speech/missionizing, etc.Some Jews frequent newsgroupRebut anti-jewish rhetoric

• Soc.culture.jewish.moderatedVenue for Jewish cultureSome internal problems

• Disagreement between Jewish denominations

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Theorizing About Free Speech

• Why does the freedom to speak not promote “free” speech?

• Suppressive speechSpeech that when articulated drives out other

kinds of speechSpecial case of “non-community” speech

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Non-Community Speech

• People visit virtual community for two reasonsTalk about things “relevant” to communityNot talk about things “not relevant” to community

• Non-Community speech is “not relevant”Expensive to read or filterCan carry hurtful messageCan promote other non-community speech

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“Normal” Strategy

• When non-community speech becomes expensiveCommunity SplitsOld community retains non-community flavorNew community preserves old community

flavor“No one forces you to listen”

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Suppressive Speech

• Is non-community speech requiring a community audience

• Pursues community members to new community

• “forces you to listen”

• Only solution: restrict it

Q&A