Deplatforming, Kiwifarms, and the limits of free speech

When do limits on free speech become necessary?

Image source: Canva

After the death of a beloved programmer, the gaming community asked domain and hosting providers to refuse services for those responsible for it.

As of yesterday, the 13th of July, the domain registrar DreamHost has decided to withhold service from Kiwifarms, a cesspool of trolls and hate speech that Gizmodo referred to as “the worst site on the Web”.

This move comes after the death of programmer and emulation giant Near/Byuu, who was the victim of a targeted harassment campaign originating with Kiwifarms, a forum dedicated to stalking and harassing vulnerable individuals that they refer to as “lolcows” who can be “milked for laughs”; targeting in exceedingly cruel and creepy ways particularly those who are transgender, neurodivergent, disabled or living with mental illness.

At the time, I, too, wrote about it, trying to put together a list of resources for communities who may witness this type of harassment in their midst.

While my main focus was on offering practical support to victims, one thing I did touch upon was deplatforming : the idea that things like Kiwifarms…