While ago, The Verge has reported that Zoom has canceled a webinar due to be held at San Francisco State University this Wednesday featuring Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who took part in two plane hijackings in 1969 and 1970. YouTube and Facebook also intervened to stop the talk.
The meeting was canceled under the pressure of Israeli and Jewish lobby groups including Lawfare Project. Sadly, they are powerful enough to affect free speech in a company based in United States, a country which refer to itself as land of freedom and (ridiculously) the greatest democracy in world.
Now, after that happened, some activists decided to gather and discuss “censorship by Zoom” and in a completely predictable event, this meeting was also canceled by Zoom.
I’m not shocked at all. No matter where you are or who you are, if you threaten these companies’ benefits, they will do anything to stop you and that includes violating your basic human rights.
I’m disappointed in the event organizers who decided to use Zoom for this gathering when they undoubtedly knew Zoom censors everything that doesn’t meet its interests.
There is a great free software to use instead of Zoom named Jitsi which respects humans and is controlled by individuals who host events not a corporation.