Culture secretary Nadine Dorries says the left has hijacked social media

Nadine Dorries has accused left-wing activists of “hijacking” social media, leaving people scared of expressing their opinion, in her latest broadside against “cancel culture”.

The culture secretary, 64, said that many young people wanting serious debate might be discouraged by “the amplification in the echo chambers” online.

In her first interview since taking her new role, Dorries claimed that she had first-hand experience of “political attack” on social media, describing negative reaction to her appointment as misogynistic.

After the reshuffle in September, the comedian Dom Joly said that it was “like the result of some drunk bet” and another comic, Mark Thomas, said that Dorries had “written more books” than she had read.

“People were making these comments for political attack and nothing else,” Dorries

Read more: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nadine-dorries-says-the-left-has-hijacked-social-media-z7lc8v6j6

Lefty activists have ‘hijacked’ social media and made people ‘afraid’ to speak out, blasts Culture Sec Nadine Dorries

She warned: "People are afraid because of the amplification in the echo chambers of social media."

Ms Dorries laid blame at the feet of campaigners "on the left who have hijacked that space" and won't talk "seriously" about issues.

The Tory MP is herself outspoken online and famously once threatened to nail a journalists' genitals to the floor "with your own front teeth" for asking questions about her kids.

She also landed in hot water this week for publicly rebuking the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg for a tweet.

She is now tasked with introducing tough new laws to punish tech giants for failing to stamp out harmful content on their sites.

Boris Johnson threw his weight behind his Culture Sec today, with his official spokesperson saying: "The Prime Minister supports the idea of independent thinking and intellectual freedom.

From The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/16785752/lefty-activists-have-hijacked-social-media/

As a notorious lefty, I would just like to point out that I have some real problems with cancel culture, as I've noted before. I don't think that everyone on the left is on board with this particular development; it seems far more prevalent among Gen Z and perhaps some Millennials.

And I realise this is verging into whataboutism, but plenty of people on the right try to shout down the likes of Greta what'shername, and other outspoken activists who get told to shut up.

Ben Reilly wrote:As a notorious lefty, I would just like to point out that I have some real problems with cancel culture, as I've noted before. I don't think that everyone on the left is on board with this particular development; it seems far more prevalent among Gen Z and perhaps some Millennials.

And I realise this is verging into whataboutism, but plenty of people on the right try to shout down the likes of Greta what'shername, and other outspoken activists who get told to shut up.

Its more prevalent in educated middle class white liberals.

A self flagellation of guilt for no wrong they have ever done, other than a view to believe that their skin definition is somehow an abhorrent and something to disassociate with

Its ridiculous, as we are not teaching harmony between groups racially, but a view is being taught to further divide society and the Russians and Chinese and laughing at us fighting between ourselves

The point is, nobody should be “shouting down” or “shutting up” anybody.

WTF happened to free speech without a bunch of people lamenting?

Greta is a jumped up nobody with a big mouth who is an expert on nothing.

Bill Maher is a liberal, and he has this dialed in. Watch this one monologue. He, Russell Brand and Glenn Greenwald are all liberals that speak almost daily, of the now, illiberal left.

It’s good that we have the Conservative government and Right Wing print media to tell us how terrible online lefties are. And how this is the real problem in our lives.

Then we won’t spend as much time focussing on the crappy environmental BS, low wages, corruption, and ineptitude with the Brexit fallout.

Lefties are loud online - That’s the real problem.

Btw, has anyone here honestly ever ACTUALLY limited what they say because of other people online?

Eilzel wrote:It’s good that we have the Conservative government and Right Wing print media to tell us how terrible online lefties are. And how this is the real problem in our lives.

Then we won’t spend as much time focussing on the crappy environmental BS, low wages, corruption, and ineptitude with the Brexit fallout.

Lefties are loud online - That’s the real problem.

Btw, has anyone here honestly ever ACTUALLY limited what they say because of other people online?

I haven't, nor in real life to be honest.
I read a lot about people being frightened to voice opinions nowadays, I don't see that in my own circle of family and friends who have different views and opinions.

Eilzel wrote:It’s good that we have the Conservative government and Right Wing print media to tell us how terrible online lefties are. And how this is the real problem in our lives.

Then we won’t spend as much time focussing on the crappy environmental BS, low wages, corruption, and ineptitude with the Brexit fallout.

Lefties are loud online - That’s the real problem.

Btw, has anyone here honestly ever ACTUALLY limited what they say because of other people online?

None of us are that important. And I'm self employed and dont work with the public.

While we are anonymous here, I know plenty of people who say virtually nothing controversial on social media because it could cost them a job.

They post pics of their food and say nice things.

Take the Rittenhouse trial.

While I have friends who have been vocal about it, the majority would never mention it online. They have bills to pay.

Maddog wrote:

Eilzel wrote:It’s good that we have the Conservative government and Right Wing print media to tell us how terrible online lefties are. And how this is the real problem in our lives.

Then we won’t spend as much time focussing on the crappy environmental BS, low wages, corruption, and ineptitude with the Brexit fallout.

Lefties are loud online - That’s the real problem.

Btw, has anyone here honestly ever ACTUALLY limited what they say because of other people online?

None of us are that important. And I'm self employed and dont work with the public.

While we are anonymous here, I know plenty of people who say virtually nothing controversial on social media because it could cost them a job.  

They post pics of their food and say nice things.

Take the Rittenhouse trial.

While I have friends who have been vocal about it, the majority would never mention it online.  They have bills to pay.  

Social media is a relatively new phenomenon. No one is less free to say what they like now than they were in the 90s. If anything people now have a significantly greater reach then ever before - even factoring in cancel culture (left or right wing).

Not having staff of a company give controversial takes on topics publicly is less about politics and more about business. It is bad for business to have a representative spouting views that could alienate potential customers. This isn’t a left/right issue. Also, there is a huge contingent of the public who wouldn’t comment on issues largely because they just aren’t interested.

Eilzel wrote:

Maddog wrote:

None of us are that important. And I'm self employed and dont work with the public.

While we are anonymous here, I know plenty of people who say virtually nothing controversial on social media because it could cost them a job.  

They post pics of their food and say nice things.

Take the Rittenhouse trial.

While I have friends who have been vocal about it, the majority would never mention it online.  They have bills to pay.  

Social media is a relatively new phenomenon. No one is less free to say what they like now than they were in the 90s. If anything people now have a significantly greater reach then ever before - even factoring in cancel culture (left or right wing).

Not having staff of a company give controversial takes on topics publicly is less about politics and more about business. It is bad for business to have a representative spouting views that could alienate potential customers. This isn’t a left/right issue. Also, there is a huge contingent of the public who wouldn’t comment on issues largely because they just aren’t interested.

There's a record of everything said now.

There are things you say, and things you post, and they are becoming more divergent.

eddie wrote:

Nadine Dorries has accused left-wing activists of “hijacking” social media, leaving people scared of expressing their opinion, in her latest broadside against “cancel culture”.

The culture secretary, 64, said that many young people wanting serious debate might be discouraged by “the amplification in the echo chambers” online.

In her first interview since taking her new role, Dorries claimed that she had first-hand experience of “political attack” on social media, describing negative reaction to her appointment as misogynistic.

After the reshuffle in September, the comedian Dom Joly said that it was “like the result of some drunk bet” and another comic, Mark Thomas, said that Dorries had “written more books” than she had read.

“People were making these comments for political attack and nothing else,” Dorries

Read more: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nadine-dorries-says-the-left-has-hijacked-social-media-z7lc8v6j6

I don't know about ''hijacking'' as such. perhaps it is true but scared of violence? if so that's totally unacceptable.

i read somewhere about JK Rowling having angry trans activists turn up at her house and post pictures of her house address online

wtaf?

The cancel culture idiots think that only their pre approved thoughts and beliefs are allowed... And they think they are the 'freedom' fighting social justice warriors...