@Demosthenes: “If social media hadn’t been banning right-wing accounts, there wouldn’t be this narrative that right-wingers are under attack and they wouldn’t have become so extreme and so mired in their persecution complex.”
This is patently false.
Their whole conspiracy theory is based on a persecution complex. The paranoia and misdirected anger of conspiracy nuts that exist and are not banned all over social media cannot be assuaged by more platforming. Christ, the most powerful and platformed person on the planet is their spokesperson and they still claim persecution.
You just couldn’t be more wrong about how persecution complexes work.
I’ve been quite active on Twitter, and it’s full of right-wing maniacs while plenty of left-wing voices have been silenced. I’m not unsympathetic to the concept of feeling silenced. But it’s just not the case when it comes to the right and conspiracy theorists. They have huge platforms.
@Demosthenes: “Why are they so widespread and more mainstream than ever before?”
The president of the US and corporate mediate mainstreamed their ideas. It wasn’t the act of limiting their voice that created or spread their ideas. It was the platforming of such ideas that led to their “mainstreaming”.
Note: It also doesn’t help that there are things to be upset about. And many of these people are under the boot of someone. It’s just not who they think it is.