[bamboozled]

It would be really cool if you did some research before commenting.

They argue vaccines don't work and the reality is Japan's immigration numbers a minuscule and basically the only way to be in Japan as an immigrant is to have a visa and a job, or you're out. They don't have any "illegals".

Do you have any idea how important vaccines are in a country with a predominately old population and some of the lowest birth rates in the world?

Do you have any idea how important immigrant worker are in a country which is basically running out of workers?

These people don't really care about outcomes, they manipulate fools en masse to vote for them so they can get into power do corrupt / cruel shit. It's populism with zero practical implementation plan except being an asshole to the most vulnerable people in the country to keep xenophobes happy.

[stephen_g]

I think the poster you are replying to is talking about what's going on in Australia while you're talking about Japan, sounds like some wires crossed there.

But the point still stands that what you're implying you want to see - a broad Government-run censorship campaign cracking down on free speech - is not the solution, and probably will only make things worse in the longer term.

[exodust]

I'm in Australia, but I was talking about the whole globe. A clue is when I said "around the globe". From China to USA, the pandemic restrictions and hustle went overboard in many cases.

Often these opposition parties might use theatrics, exaggeration and outlandish claims to attract attention. In some ways, this might reflect the official channels who spray a lot of fear-based propaganda initially. So there might be an overcompensatory reaction to an overcompensatory action. Not trying to excuse blanket anti-vax theories.

Vaccines are of course great inventions, but sometimes the waters get murky with pharmaceutical companies and their ethically poor track records, suddenly making huge profits and frantic politicians calling the shots on public health. Throw free-speech crackdowns in the mix, and now we have a problem worth talking about without emotion.

[bamboozled]

But what's your solution to extreme amounts of disinformation and propaganda ? This is my issue, everyone is all free speech at all costs, but if you look at the USA, the cost is extreme, potentially even terminal. I don't really see anyway out of it at this stage, I hope I'm wrong and I hope free speech prevails, but right now, I can't see it's looking good.

I'm not saying your wrong, nor am I saying "free speech bad", I'm saying something needs to be done to at lest protect children from ideas like, "Winston Churchill started WW2 and Hitler was just a victim".

Personally, I'd be taking issue, serious issue, if the plan by the Australian government was to block access to libraries and history books, but that's not what I see happening here, they're to do something about foreign propaganda poising kids brains and because the companies would never regulate themselves, they're trying to do something but it seems futile.

[exodust]

> protect children from ideas

That's not the solution. The prevailing theme taught to kids these days is "question everything". Not taking things at face-value, or believing memes and one-line theories, forms part of the young person's toolbox these days. It really does. Their teachers are drilling into them the dangers of online misinformation.

You and I wouldn't have known the difference between misinformation and disinformation in our school days (I'm assuming you're grown up), but kids these days know all about it. That should give you some comfort.

If certain Japanese political parties are making wild claims, let the dust settle and the ridiculous stuff eventually is exposed. Don't ignore subtle variation and nuance when for example we examine the claims made about the covid vaccine and protection from transmission. Or effectiveness of masks, etc. In Australia, police were literally tackling people to the ground outside for not wearing masks. So let's not trust government issued health advice so blindly either. Let's find a middle-ground of analysis & discussion.

[bamboozled]

Not sure how old you are but a lot of the younger people are the more right wing at the moment, look how popular Joe Rogan is, do you think the kids are "questioning everything" there?