Just to emphasize something thats generally unstated but I think pretty important: the only reason this is even remotely newsworthy or controversial is due to how large and influential Youtube is.
If I could choose between two worlds, in the first there is a single mega-platform that is moderated ultra-fairly so all people can use it, and in the second there is no megaplatform but a lot of small platforms that each moderate with nakedly partisan editorial lean, I would much prefer the latter. It would be more free both for publishers and consumers, in my opinion.
Right now we are all stuck trying to act like megaplatforms can house everyone fairly. They can't. Current events prove it. Facebook tried, Reddit tried, Twitter tried, and Youtube tried, and all ended up taking editorial stances that are often construed as partisan.
If we had a competitive landscape of smaller platforms, everyone could have a platform that works for them, with editorial decisions that work for them. This could all be decided by the free market instead of everyone collectively wringing their hands about freedom when a tech giant makes a stand on misinformation.
I don't know how society can deal with the tech giant's moats, but I think that's the real demon to slay.
I agree with where you start out, but I think a proliferation of partisan platforms would
simply lead to more filter bubbles and more polarization. I would much rather see the Fairness Doctrine reinstated (in the US, anyhow) and expanded to Internet platforms, than to see everyone flocking to their platform of choice, becoming even more oblivious to alternate viewpoints.
I understand your point of view (and used to feel the same myself), but I'd say the last few years has changed my mind.
The way I see it, you either get filter bubbles, or you get miserable people who ditch your platform [subtext: and then the only remaining users are the rage-posters]. And in my opinion letting mainstream platforms rot into a cesspool of rageposters is worse for polarization.
I don't want to see people posting about how rigged the election is, or posting about what bad things hunter biden did, or posting about how hypocritical progressives were this week, or any of the other top conservative topics. I just want no part of it. It's a dead horse to me. If a platform wants to shove that stuff in my face I'm either going to find a way to hide it, or I'm going to leave the platform.
There's a time and place for having debates and seeing others point of view. If we had a proliferation of partisan platforms, I could go to the platform dedicated for open debate, or I could go to the opposing views' platform. I actually do this today (e.g. browsing foxnews if I want to see what's up in conservative-land). But when I'm chilling on reddit the last thing I have ever wanted is to see a trending post near the top of /r/all from the_donald posting some meme about Hillary Clinton passing out and being chucked into a car (this happened on several occasions leading up to the 2016 election).
If I could choose between two worlds, in the first there is a single mega-platform that is moderated ultra-fairly so all people can use it, and in the second there is no megaplatform but a lot of small platforms that each moderate with nakedly partisan editorial lean, I would much prefer the latter. It would be more free both for publishers and consumers, in my opinion.
Right now we are all stuck trying to act like megaplatforms can house everyone fairly. They can't. Current events prove it. Facebook tried, Reddit tried, Twitter tried, and Youtube tried, and all ended up taking editorial stances that are often construed as partisan.
If we had a competitive landscape of smaller platforms, everyone could have a platform that works for them, with editorial decisions that work for them. This could all be decided by the free market instead of everyone collectively wringing their hands about freedom when a tech giant makes a stand on misinformation.
I don't know how society can deal with the tech giant's moats, but I think that's the real demon to slay.