Common Sense vs. Censorship

There are several stories this morning with a common theme. The WSJ is reporting that the Islamic State may be using NFTs to fund terrorism. It is also reporting that attorneys general of California and New York are asking credit card companies to treat gun stores as a separate merchant category to help flag suspicious patterns of transactions. Meanwhile, The Verge is reporting that Cloudflare has dropped the notorious stalking and harassment site Kiwi Farms from its internet security services, citing an “immediate threat to human life” as its reason for doing so.

Each of these stories raises questions we all think we know the answers to. Where is the line between common sense and censorship? What lengths should the government go to to protect human lives? When is it appropriate for a platform or telecom carrier to block access to its network?

I can answer for myself. It’s easy on a case-by-case basis, but what policies should be in place to protect us?

Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it.