So, what should be our society’s appropriate answer to Andrew Tate and all the rest who benefit from a – what it appears – somewhat unguarded internet with all its dark places and untamed algorithms?
In today’s
debate in Mek21b this issue was addressed in an engaged yet friendly manner.
All students had been divided into smaller groups and had time to elaborate a
given stance: half were assigned to defend “more censorship and more cancelling”
while the other half had to find arguments in favour of less censorship and
unmitigated freedom of speech. Today, a lot was cast determining which two groups should meet in an open debate, leaving the rest of the class to become onlookers.
Given the
complexity of the issue it was no surprise that both sides were able to present
compelling arguments in favour of their given position. Some bad guys were
brought to attention, such as Tate, Trump and Paludan, and no one can dismiss
the influence people such as these exert not the least on children and young people
who are looking for answers. Still, how to hopefully being able to cut short
the power such people tend to accumulate is no easy task when one starts to
consider all pros and cons with each proposition.
Where both
sides could meet, however, was a suggestion to safeguard that anonymous
accounts may be anonymous in conversations while not being entirely anonymous. In
other words, they should be traceable, were they to commit serious acts of hate
speech. Also, both sides agreed that social media even today have a huge
responsibility, not the least bearing in mind this is where children and young
people are exposed the most without parents and responsible adults knowing what
is going on.
In
conclusion, the debate offered both sides an opportunity to offer their best
argument and have it tried in a contest-like yet friendly context. Probably,
some thought it had been even more fun had the debate been in Swedish, but at
least this way no one’s throat was slit, and for that the word goes the teacher
in charge feels quite happy.
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