Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt

from the the-words-we-say dept

This week, both our winners on the insightful side come in response to New York’s plan to destroy free speech online in response to the Buffalo shooting. In fist place, it’s an anonymous comment about the idea that online platforms sit at the root of white supremacy:

Remind me again, when was the K.K.K. formed?

In second place, it’s Cat_Daddy commenting more broadly on these kinds of Section 230 fights:

Deep as a puddle

The section 230 dilemma between Democrats and Republicans tries to present itself like this moral quandary, when it really isn’t. Both of their arguments are extremely surface level. It’s not a complex debate. It’s just two kids arguing over a stuffed toy. The harder they pull in opposite directions, the greater the tear. And in the end, you don’t end up with a piece of a toy, you just get a toy in tatters.

For editor’s choice on the insightful side, we start out with a comment from That One Guy about the new studies suggesting the internet really isn’t the true engine of misinformation:

Internet: Open medium where you are exposed to a large number of sources and even more people who may or may not agree with a particular point and where [Citation Needed] can be applied in real time.

Cable news: Non-interactive medium where there are two sides, one to watch and one to speak, and the latter has total control over what is said and covered. Also carries with it the veneer of being ‘professional’ since if you’re on tv in front of millions of people with your job being to report the news you must have some credibility, right?

Can’t imagine why the latter might have more impact than the former when it comes to the spread of (mis)information…

Next, it’s Rocky with a response to the bizarre claim that licensing limitations on the content of Amazon’s Rings of Power show are somehow not a copyright issue:

Guess what underpins the estates ability to license out Tolkien’s works for the last ~50 years?

Over on the funny side, our first place winner is BvR responding to a frustrating commenter:

Are your inner thoughts as incoherent as your outer thoughts?

In second place, it’s Stephen T. Stone simply calling attention to the subtitle of our post about FBI agents thinking January 6 participants did nothing wrong:

from the if-you-want-to-disrupt-peaceful-elections,-join-the-CIA dept

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit 🤣

For editor’s choice on the funny side, we start out with a comment from Thad about how conservatives are still complaining about police defunding that never happened:

As opposed to all the other conservative grievances, which are firmly rooted in reality.

Finally, it’s Flakbait with a comment about the fine AT&T faces for bribing an Illinois lawmaker:

Overheard in AT&T CEO’s office:
$23 million fine? (To administrative assistant) Check the couch for loose change.

That’s all for this week, folks!