Toby Young is the publisher of The Daily Sceptic. Censorship pure and simple.
From the New Statesman of all places:
Yet the issue highlights one of the key misunderstandings that we often have about Big Tech platforms. Just because they appear to be public utilities, and are ubiquitous, we expect them to be required to follow a more significant, scrutinised code of conduct. But they’re not. They’re private companies, with their own rules and regulations. If we don’t like it, we can lump it: as an ardent supporter of conservative causes, Young will know that competition in a free-market economy is king.
But scratch beneath the surface of Young’s claims and you begin to realise that the ban may be more justified than people think. This isn’t just a rabble-rouser trying to keep the home fires burning in a fictitious, bubbly culture war. A Times report has alleged that one of the reasons why PayPal closed the accounts down was for spreading Covid vaccine misinformation – a real harm that puts lives at risk. The R value of false information discouraging people from taking up the offer of perfectly safe vaccines outstrips that of the virus that has killed, to date, 6.5 million people.
PayPal declined to comment on specific cases, but said that it “regularly assesses activity against our long-standing acceptable use policy and will discontinue our relationship with account holders who are found to violate our policies”.
The payments company does have a long-standing issue with banning companies and individuals from using its services, or withholding their cash, without justification. I’ve previously reported on PayPal holding back far more money than Young would likely have in his accounts – and have been inundated with similar stories. Those examples seem to have little explanation, unlike the banning of Young’s accounts, which have been pinned to allegations that he spread misinformation.
The decision is also not as dramatic as Young – whose career has relied on over-egging his strife like a put-upon puppy – makes out. He’s not being silenced, and is not a cri de coeur for certain griftier fringe personalities. He’s still entitled to his opinions, no matter how wrong they may be.
It’s just that PayPal has decided it doesn’t want him to profit from them.
It’s an approach that Young would likely recognise from one of the favourite cases of the anti-woke free speech brigade: if a bakery is allowed to withhold business from customers wanting it to bake a gay cake, why can’t PayPal withhold its services from someone with whom it disagrees?
