Comment in a leading German newspaper regarding the way UTC and Apple handle Emoji as an attack on Free Speech

[Christoph Päper]

Asmus Freytag (c) <asmusf at ix.netcom.com>:
> 
> The central concern of the FAZ article appears to be the role that private entities play as gate-keepers of modern communication. That's actually a valid concern (…). The fact that fine distinctions of a technical nature may have been handled with less precision than insiders would prefer, is perhaps sloppy, but pretty typical for journalism in general.

Exactly. Anybody who becomes aware of being considered a gatekeeper (i.e. a mild version of a ‘censor’) by the general public should not react by dismissal but reflection!

The FAZ is generally considered conservative by German/European standards, but would still be considered rather liberal in the US. Be assured that it takes a rather restrictive stand when it comes to *actual* gun control (at least by international standards). Within the spectrum of traditional German newspapers, it usually is quite on the pro side of capitalism and trans-Atlantic friendship (i.e. its policy is not “anti-American”). The fear of being controlled or restricted by big (US-based) corporations or faceless bureaucrats, however, is shared by many left and right-wing authors. The state itself – unlike in “1984” or NRA propaganda – is generally not seen as the enemy in German media. The reference to Orwell’s dystopia was hence badly chosen, but it is probably the one best known – besides “Brave New World” – among the readership.