Today, dominant email automation platform Mailchimp updated their terms of use. Censorship knows no limits in 2020… 👇🏼
📧 Email has always been considered safe from censorship and algorithms. If all else fails, email is a surefire way to communicate to your audience, under your terms, and with complete certainty that the message will be received.
😔 Well the tentacles of censorship and fact-checking have found their way into email. I would normally shocked, but not this year.
😬 The most concerning thing with this announcement, is the term “in our sole discretion”. What does that mean❓
⚖️ Well, what it means is that Mailchimp will decide whether your written and linked content as a Mailchimp customer, is true.
🤷🏻♂️ W.H.O made them the all being eye? Who made them The Oracle? How will they determine fact from fiction?
🤷🏻♂️ Who’s to say their perception of truth is not the common flawed consensus, versus the real truth? What is their gospel of truth?
I am CONCERNED by this, I really am.
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🚫 This year has been rife with censorship on all inconvenient dissenting opinion as it relates to COVID-19, race and politics.
🗑 Facebook, YouTube, Google Search, Twitter & Microsoft LinkedIn have had a completely unregulated field day removing content, flagging content and suspended/banning accounts.
🤦🏻♂️ Their Community Standards change at whim, are vague, and in the example of COVID-19 information, suggest only content that agrees with the WHO is considered factual.
I understand we have a real issue of fake news travelling faster and further than real news. I understand there are many malicious and manipulative individuals and actors our there then need to be controlled.
😫 BUT, and it’s a big but, this massive erosion of our Civil Liberties and Freedom of Speech – now on EMAIL – is a deeply concern direction of travel.
What next?
When will there be some regulation on these private companies that act in the best interest of our people versus allowing propaganda to perpetuate with challenge❓
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What are YOUR THOUGHTS on this❓
Comment below 👇🏼
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My letter to Mailchimp:
Dear Legal team,
I am a paying customer of Mailchimp. Having read the below updates to the STOU, I have some concerns generally regarding broad strokes censorship of Email – considered the safe place to communicate without interference.
Please can you clarify the following regarding the Section 17 update:
(1) What specifically is Mailchimp’s intent here? What communications are concerning and require this change of policy?
(2) 2020 will be known for many things, one of which is unregulated censorship by private companies. What is Mailchimp’s motivation for this announcement, now?
(3) I am deeply concerned by the statement “in our sole discretion”. This could not be more vague. How does Mailchimp define truth? What specifically will be your sources of truth?
(4) Much of mainstream media peddles untruths to varying degrees. Public consensus is quickly becoming manipulated by relentless propaganda from establishments and wealthy players who can bankroll a seed change in public ideologies. How will Mailchimp differentiate between objective truth and flawed status quo consensus?
Needless to say, I believe Mailchimp are entering into a dark place with this notion that you will censor email communication on the basis of what is Mailchimp’s “version of truth”. Social Media platforms are complicit in eroding freedom of speech this year, and it seems unconstitutional and an attack on people’s inalienable rights.
Pointing that effort at email could backfire and lead to greater perpetuation of unchallenged propaganda from those that have the money and intent to imprint their ideology on the world.
Please give some careful thought to this email. Abusing this STOU change as the service provider will be concern for a great many customers.