Obama-Joker Transforms Into Free Speech Symbol
The slightly schizophrenic Obama-Joker image continues to morph and take on new meanings. After Flickr removed the original created by artist Firas Khateeb and reportedly deleted accounts that reposted it, some of its users are still undeterred. It can still be found all over the site, often accompanied by commentary. “I uploaded this to support free speech. I don’t agree with the sentiments necessarily,” writes a flickr user. Another free speech supporter decided that agitation was the best method for fighting the Yahoo-owned photo-sharing mammoth, “Might as well make whoever is sending take down notices busy.” Or this person, who takes a more blunt approach in questioning the hypocritical policy, “Flickr sucks ass for its one-sided personally motivated censorship and politics.”
Editor-in-Chief:
Flickr/Yahoo are not required to abide by free speech laws. They are privately owned sites, and therefore can eliminate whatever content they want.
People don't seem to understand that, protesting on the internet is not the same as driving to the local park and picketing/protesting something one is against. Protesting on the internet is more like going to your local bar, drinking booze, socializing with your friends, but occasionally pissing on the floor because you feel like sending a message.
I have to disagree with jagiv, this kind of protest is the only thing that would work on the internet. Flickr/Yahoo may be a private company and won't necessarily do what protesters want but like any protest if enough people participate they will yield.
What else are they going to do, keep deleting user accounts?
Actually, Kwag, they will keep deleting accounts. Not enough people will protest. When you're as huge and practically monopolized as Flickr is, you couldn't care less if even a few thousand people decided to "rise up". Too many people are dependent and thus loyal to the site, and those few thousand will get replaced in a day.
As jagiv mentioned, Yahoo is a private entity, and they can do whatever lincoln-log-sized sh*t they want. I don't necessarily agree with the censorship, as not everyone has to like Obama or hate the image, but in the end, Yahoo and Flickr have the ultimate say in content. C'est la vie.
Private corporations do not have to allow content on their sites that their patrons may find offensive. This is not a free speech battle because it does not involve a public entity (government). If Flickr were my site, and I were interested in turning a profit by pleasing shareholders, new business, etc, and numerous individuals complained about the picture on my site, I would seriously consider removing the content. This is a fight between people who utilize a free service provided by a business who have no right to determine what content is acceptable for the business's website.
Heh, seeing this image actually makes me wish I had voted for Obama. (And just so you know, I didn't vote). The joker was a brilliant man — crazy, yes, but brilliant. If Obama was anything like him, he would be my hero.
RIP
Heath