End Times
17th January 2019, 02:33 AM
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/01/16/roku-removes-alex-jones-infowars-channel-after-one-day-amid-backlash/2591688002/
Streaming device maker Roku pulled the plug on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his Infowars channel after having it among its content offerings for less than a day.
Roku on Monday added Infowars, which had been banned back in August from many online outlets including Apple Podcasts, Facebook, LinkedIn, Periscope, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube. Twitter also banned Jones and the channel in September.
Roku's move quickly led to the appearance and spread of a #BoycottRoku hashtag decrying the channel.
Tuesday night, Roku removed the channel, noting on Twitter: "After the InfoWars channel became available, we heard from concerned parties and have determined that the channel should be removed from our platform. Deletion from the channel store and platform has begun and will be completed shortly," the company tweeted.
(...)
Initially, Roku cited a First Amendment defense in adding the channel. "While the vast majority of all streaming on our platform is mainstream entertainment, voices on all sides of an issue or cause are free to operate a channel," Roku said in a statement. "We do not curate or censor based on viewpoint."
Streaming device maker Roku pulled the plug on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his Infowars channel after having it among its content offerings for less than a day.
Roku on Monday added Infowars, which had been banned back in August from many online outlets including Apple Podcasts, Facebook, LinkedIn, Periscope, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube. Twitter also banned Jones and the channel in September.
Roku's move quickly led to the appearance and spread of a #BoycottRoku hashtag decrying the channel.
Tuesday night, Roku removed the channel, noting on Twitter: "After the InfoWars channel became available, we heard from concerned parties and have determined that the channel should be removed from our platform. Deletion from the channel store and platform has begun and will be completed shortly," the company tweeted.
(...)
Initially, Roku cited a First Amendment defense in adding the channel. "While the vast majority of all streaming on our platform is mainstream entertainment, voices on all sides of an issue or cause are free to operate a channel," Roku said in a statement. "We do not curate or censor based on viewpoint."