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Censorship Will Get Out of Hand
Censorship always does.
PayPal found itself at the center of a huge controversy this week when language from its updated disclosure statement seemed to indicate the online financial giant intended to charge users a $2,500 fine for “misinformation”.
The new disclosure prohibited, “the sending, posting or publication of any messages, content, or materials,” deemed, “at PayPal’s sole discretion,” to “promote misinformation,” or, “present a risk to user safety or wellbeing.” It was intended to go into effect November 3.
“Next time you’re clicking through one of those impossibly long and impenetrable legal disclaimers to a company’s terms of service, it may be time to have a closer look,” quipped Christiaan Hetzner for Fortune Magazine on October 10.
As the backlash was reaching fever pitch, PayPal issued a statement:
“An AUP notice for the U.S. recently went out in error that included incorrect information,” PayPal claimed. “PayPal is not fining people for misinformation and this language was never intended to be inserted in our policy. We’re sorry for the confusion this has caused.”
Not everyone was convinced by this odd denial however, which left PayPal users and investors with more questions than answers. How did the language wind up in the disclosure in the first…