WordPress Bans Fascist Website Linked To Charlottesville Killer (fastcompany.com)

Posted by BeauHD on Wednesday August 16, 2017 @01:00AM from the about-face dept.

tedlistens writes: WordPress has said that it does not censor websites like that of self-proclaimed fascist group Vanguard America. But last night, the group's site was taken offline for violating the company's terms of service. The about-face was likely prompted by Vanguard's participation in last weekend's Unite the Right rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, during which James Alex Fields drove his car into a crowd, killing one person and injuring 19. Fields has claimed allegiance to Vanguard America; the group denies that Fields was a member. For WordPress to drop a site, even a fascist site, is a very big deal; the same is true of GoDaddy's and Google's decision to drop their registration of neo-Nazi site the Daily Stormer (another site that GoDaddy previously said would be permitted on free speech grounds). WordPress hasn't explained the shift in its approach to the website: the company's user agreement and terms of service have not changed since Charlottesville. That policy, like that of other tech platforms, has long stood by strict neutrality and freedom of expression. That may now be changing.

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ALLEGEDLY by Anonymous Coward · 2017-08-16 01:15 · Score: 0, Flamebait

ALLEGEDLY drove the car into the crowd, ALLEGEDLY killed one person and ALLEGEDLY injured others.
I get emotions are high but articles like this can end in lawsuits. There's a reason even the shittiest of news sources will cover their asses thoroughly as making these claims prior to a conviction in a court of law is grounds for slander and libel lawsuits. Even if they're found guilty afterwards.