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Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned US tech giant PayPal to stop “pushing political opinions” on the British public. Mr Rees-Mogg, the Business Secretary, has waded into a growing row over cancel culture following PayPal’s decision to shut down the account of the Free Speech Union (FSU).
Robert Mendick, The Telegraph, 26th September 2022.
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British Members of Parliament for the governing Conservative Party are considering an amendment to internet regulations that would prohibit payment processors like PayPal from blacklisting political campaigners, following the tech giant’s decision to withdraw service from the Free Speech Union (FSU), the anti-cancel culture organization founded by columnist and author Toby Young.
Allum Bokhari, Breitbart, 26th September 2022.
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More than 40 politicians — including ex-Cabinet ministers Michael Gove, David Davis, and Sir Iain Duncan Smith – want the Government to consider laws to prevent campaign groups being punished. In a letter to Business SecretaryJacob Rees-Mogg, they had “serious concern” about the break with Free Speech Union and Daily Sceptic. The MPs say: “These are respectful and respectable campaigning groups operating fully within UK law.”
Jack Elsom, The Sun, 25th September 2022.
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Conservative backbenchers are considering launching an amendment to upcoming financial legislation in the House of Commons that would ban companies from freezing campaigners’ accounts. It comes after UsForThem, which campaigned to keep schools open during the pandemic, and the Free Speech Union (FSU), a pressure group, had their PayPal accounts blocked and were accused of violating terms of service.
Tony Diver, The Telegraph, 25th September 2022.
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Leading figures in the Conservative Party including Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Gove and Sir Graham Brady have demanded ministers hold PayPal to account after it abruptly cancelled a group which campaigns for freedom of speech. Toby Young, who set up the Free Speech Union and the Daily Sceptic news blog said three of his PayPal accounts were closed by the American online payments giant without explanation last week for an alleged violation of its policies.
Isolde Walters, MailOnline, 25th September 2022.
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PayPal has been urged to release confiscated funds from British organisations as over 30 Tory MPs and peers accuse the online transfer giant of launching an “orchestrated” and “politically motivated” attack on groups that champion free speech. The US payments company has come under fire after shutting down the accounts of the Free Speech Union, its founder Toby Young, and his opinion and news website the Daily Sceptic, with no clear explanation last week.
Camilla Turner, The Telegraph, 24th September 2022.
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Tech giant PayPal has been accused of “policing opinions by financial bullying” and has put itself in the “new frontline in the war against free speech”, critics say. It now faces a political battle with politicians lining up to call for action against the US company. PayPal shut a number of accounts last week including those of journalist Toby Young, the founder of the Free Speech Union.
Lucy Johnston, Daily Express, 24th September 2022.
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The Free Speech Union has vowed to secure a change in the law after it, its founder Toby Young, and the Daily Sceptic website were all deplatformed by PayPal.
Jack Montgomery, Breitbart, 23rd September 2022.
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Comedian Jack Dee has closed his PayPal account after it cancelled the accounts of the Free Speech Union and a parents group which fought to keep schools open during lockdown. The stand-up comedian, 60, accused the Californian company of bullying customers after it also shut the account of UsForThem – which campaigned to keep schools open during Covid. He took to Twitter to announce: “I’m in the process of cancelling my PayPal account. Big Tech companies that feel they can bully people for questioning mainstream groupthink don’t deserve anyone’s business.” And he was joined by former professional footballer Matt Le Tissier who wrote: “That’s my PayPal account closed along with my wife’s. Good riddance to tin pot dictators.”
Isabella Nikolic, MailOnline, 23rd September 2022.
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PayPal’s decision to close the accounts of the Free Speech Union and the Daily Sceptic marks a dangerous escalation in Big Tech’s war on free speech.
Molly Kingsley, Spiked, 23rd September 2022.
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