Could Bitcointalk with a few tweaks become a new home for those that have had their free speech crushed?
Probably not. Bitcointalk is a niche forum for cryptocurrency enthusiasts, specifically bitcoin.
Bitcointalk also heavily favors those that are very active via the merit system and requires activity on the forum, and time spent on the forum in order to rank up. This means someone with an existing following would have difficulty having a voice on the forum.
Bitcointalk does very much value free speech, and takes affirmative measures to promote the ability of people to say their opinions.
Bitcointalk taking affirmative action to ensure free speech?
Could you explain what you mean?
Which measures are you referring to.
1. What would inhibit their free speech if such measures were not in place
2. If you can be punished using the systems put in place by bitcointalk and defamed for presenting independently verifiable truths regarding only the behavior of people on the forum and their observable history here then that is clearly a free speech crushing tool that bitcointalk has developed.
Generally the free speech here is way better than most social media.
However the discussion of inconvenient truths is crushed here.
That should be looked at.
There is no excuse for it
There is zero reason to point the finger and say well these other places crush either rightwing or left wing voices.
There is either free speech or there is not.
Also, crushing an unverified opinion with no corroborating evidence or proof is poor without first conclusively debunking it.
But to deliberately seek to punish or suppress undeniable and independently verifiable truth is going that extra step further.
There should never be any possible restriction or limits or admin designed and implemented punishment for presenting on topic relevant and independently verifiable truths that were already available to the public.
There is free speech or there is not.
One can argue there is no right to free speech from any service. That is fine. But that service must accept they actively and wilfully seek to crush free speech. Aka seek to suppress the truth in certain areas.
I think it should be set in stone especially on such forum as this where accuracy, consistency, transparency and trustless are big ticket usp, that the control systems put in place are not leveraged to punish those presenting the undeniable truths I have described above. Anyone attempting to do so should have a warning on their account.
This is one big way the forum could be drastically improved.
Being better than places that clearly seek to hide inconvenient truths via instant ban isn't really the benchmark to aim for.
You should be aiming to provide the verifiable truth at all times regardless of how convenient it is.
You never know what other areas of discussion could suddenly become taboo.
I suppose no point getting the forum closed down for hosting strong political discussion that grew to any size and influence.
Still would be sensible to review certain aspects of control systems being implemented.