Anti-conservative bias? SoundCloud deplatforms and permanently bans journalist Andy Ngo's podcast
By arseniotoledo // 2021-06-30
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The podcast of conservative journalist and Antifa expert Andy Ngo has been permanently banned from the online audio distribution platform SoundCloud. SoundCloud's Trust & Safety Team informed Ngo via email that his podcast was banned permanently supposedly for violating the site's terms of use as well as its community guidelines. The company said that the podcast was banned "on the grounds of being dedicated to violating" the site's rules. In the notification email sent to Ngo, the company did not provide him with an avenue to appeal the decision or even to seek further information regarding the ban. The company has also not answered why the ban came recently even though the latest episode of the podcast was uploaded more than one year ago. Ngo's podcast, "Things You Should Ngo," has featured many conservative political figures and intellectuals including psychologist Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, political commentator Dave Rubin, Portland-based radio host Lars Larson, columnist and activist Michelle Malkin and British author and commentator Douglas Murray. The podcast features a variety of thought-provoking discussions on important sociopolitical topics, such as one episode that explored the parallels between violent extremists in radical Islam and Antifa. (Related: Journalist Andy Ngo: Antifa aims to "organize society without a government," abolish nations worldwide.)

SoundCloud refuses to specify what rules Ngo violated

According to SoundCloud's Terms of Use, users like Ngo are not allowed to use the platform to upload:
"Any Content that is abusive, libelous, defamatory, pornographic or obscene, that promotes or incites violence, terrorism, illegal acts, or hatred on the grounds of race, ethnicity, cultural identity, religious belief, disability, gender, identity or sexual orientation or is otherwise objectionable in SoundCloud's reasonable discretion."
SoundCloud has not clarified which of these categories of content Ngo's podcast violated. The explanation the company gave Ngo was vague and refused to be specific. "We take the security of our community very seriously," read SoundCloud's email to Ngo. "We hope that you can understand that SoundCloud is a place for people to share content which respects our Terms of Use and Community Guidelines." https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1409623843728019460

Conservatives criticize censorship of Ngo

"If SoundCloud could point to any instances, even just one, of Ngo violating their rules, then maybe … the public would be able to consider and evaluate their reasoning," wrote journalist Sarah D on the news site Twitchy. "But by keeping their rationale so vague, SoundCloud really leaves people with little choice but to conclude that they're just straight-up biased against material that questions or contradicts left-wing narratives. RedState journalist and editor-at-large Kira Davis has pointed out that right around the same time that SoundCloud deplatformed Ngo, YouTube banned and then quickly reinstated the channel known as "Right Wing Watch." This channel is dedicated to mocking conservative outlets. The entire progressive media rose in anger after Right Wing Watch's YouTube ban. Former MSNBC host Krystal Ball took to Twitter to complain about the channel's ban. She accused conservatives of being hypocrites for allegedly pretending to care about censorship and free speech. But when left ideas are censored, they supposedly "never say a word." It should be noted that Ball has not said anything regarding Ngo's deplatforming from SoundCloud. "Nothing changes until everyone – including the progressives who invented Cancel Culture – is forced to play by the same rules," wrote Davis. "Will we see Krystal Ball and her friends on the progressive left race to the defense of Andy Ngo's free expression? I won't hold my breath." Learn more about how tech companies like SoundCloud ban and deplatform conservatives while protecting leftist ideals at Censorship.news. Sources include: ThePostMillennial.com RedState.com SoundCloud.com Twitchy.com
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