... is what I would say if I was completely wrong.
As with any X discussion ever the topics change faster than a contrarians opinion on Nazis.
This discussion started off being about frontends on Hive not promoting themselves and turned into advertising hatred.
So I wanted to touch upon advertising a bit. To pull a simple definition:
a public communication that promotes a product, service, brand or event.
Doesnt matter if that encapsulates the meaning completely. Whats important to note is that its simply a way to promote. Ads for some absurd reason on Hive are seen as something evil or negative.
The statement made occasionally being that all ads are censorship. This I feel comes from a very known source. WEB2 faux free speech content creators (or more recently demonetized crypto youtuber douches) that for one reason or other lost monetary support, got demonetized, for saying things that those giving them money disliked.
So what is it that often happens?
See, when someone stops giving you money because of something you said, you cant come out and proclaim:
"They stopped giving me money, I dont like that! I like money!"
That would make you look entitled. You dont want that. Instead what they do is gaslight their audience. What they say instead is that they are "censored"!
An attack, a label planted to exercise pressure by tainting the name of those that wont give them "stuff".
Im sure we can find examples of when a OnlyFans model losses their sponsor and they start calling them gay.
No one took their speech away, no one stopped them from saying what they want to say. No one took away their choice or their freedom to speak. They just refused to give them money.
And they still have a freedom to choose.
Do you want their money? Then dont say things they disagree with.
Free speech should be everyone's right. Access to the money in my wallet should be no ones right.
If I took @trumpman off my autovoter tomorrow because he said that pistachio is not the best ice cream flavor, would that be censorship?
Im sure he would say "yes". But he would be wrong.
If you want to sell your soul and say what those giving you money want you to say that is your choice and entirely avoidable. Your speech is not affected and any action you take is as free as anyones decision not to give you money.
So no, advertising is not censorship and any content creators saying that it is are lying out their asses, gaslighting you, taking advantage of your sensibilities by attaching their income flow loss to your free speech supporting ideology.
When it comes to Hive frontends and ads its even more simple. Set them up and if advertisers decide over time that they dont like your platform and what goes on there,require you to change, do so, or do not.
If you sell your soul for their money its you, the platform owner making a free choice to rid yourself of your proclaimed values which makes you a liar and a cheat.
Refuse to do so and youre back where you were, only with a bit more money already paid out to you.
And that is good. You lost nothing and you got to keep their money.
If you decide to selfcensor, its you that sucks and not the advertiser.
Advertising can censor only if you allow it to. That makes it self-censorship and thats your free choice.
