Spotify, SoundCloud and other platforms have pulled the song, but its spread underscores the challenges tech platforms face in removing content that violate their policies.
Spotify, SoundCloud and other tech platforms have worked to remove a new song from Ye that praises Adolf Hitler, but the song and its video have continued to proliferate online including across X, where it has racked up millions of views.
On various mainstream and alternative tech platforms this week, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been able to share his latest song, titled “Heil Hitler,” along with its companion title, “WW3,” which similarly glorifies Hitler, the architect of the Holocaust.
While some platforms have taken steps to attempt to pull down the song, others have seemingly let it spread freely.
Totally wrong on this one. Your rights end where others begin. Is it OK if a guy writes a song about torturing and killing you. You specifically. No? What about 3 songs? 10 songs?
There’s a very clear line in free speech. You are free to say what you wish WITH IN NORMAL PARAMETERS! Does this protect some hate speech, or what a targeted group might see as hate speech? A bit. But not the brazen stuff. You want to stand on a corner and talk about how the pope controls the weather? OK. You want to stand on a street corner and clearly call people to violence to harm Catholics and their property? No. That’s not free speech. You aren’t allowed to call people to violence.
Is praising Hitler, and other neo nazi garbage hate speech? Yes. It’s hate speech. There’s no Hitler that didn’t kill millions of people. There’s no nazi party that didn’t call people to action and violence. You don’t have the freedom to stand on a street corner and clearly make appeals to specific violence. That’s never been allowed.