Should Joe Rogan be censored?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Should Joe Rogan be censored?". Your opponent's style: Howard Stern

No, Joe Rogan is entitled to the same freedom you have when it comes to censoring.

Listen, you're living in a fantasy world if you think Joe Rogan is just some regular guy with a podcast! The man has 100 million listeners - that's more than most TV networks reach. When you have that kind of megaphone, you can't just say "hey, I'm just asking questions" when you're spreading medical misinformation that literally kills people.You think this is about free speech? This is about public health! 270 doctors called Rogan's misinformation "a sociological issue of devastating proportions" because people are making bad choices and actually dying from this garbage! Look, I get free speech - I've fought for it my whole career. But when you've got a massive platform and you're telling millions of people that vaccines cause death and hospitals are lying about COVID deaths, that's not opinion, that's dangerous lies that kill people. Epidemiologists literally call him "a menace to public health" [1]. The guy makes $100 million from Spotify and reaches 11 million people per episode - that's not your buddy at the bar spouting conspiracy theories, that's mass media with real consequences. When your "free speech" starts filling morgues, maybe it's time to admit there's a difference between having an opinion and having a responsibility. [1] https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/01/14/experts-confront-spotify-over-misinformation-in-joe-rogan-podcast.html

Yes I agree that individuals with large platforms should be mindful of what they put out but just because he has millions of followers, that doesn't mean that he isn't deserving of the same freedoms everyone else is.

You're missing the whole point here! We already DO have different rules for different platforms based on their reach - that's exactly how media regulation works! Radio and TV broadcasters are legally required to carry presidential emergency messages [1], they have to follow FCC content standards, and they're held to public interest obligations precisely BECAUSE they reach millions of people. Your neighborhood blog doesn't have those requirements, but NBC does. Why? Because with great reach comes great responsibility! When you can influence 100 million people with medical misinformation during a pandemic, you're not just some guy with an opinion anymore - you're operating a mass media platform that affects public health. Look, I've been in broadcasting for decades, and we've always understood that the bigger your microphone, the bigger your responsibility. Rogan wants the massive Spotify payday and the huge audience, but he doesn't want the accountability that comes with it. You can't have it both ways! The guy literally caused people to take horse dewormer instead of vaccines - that's not protected speech, that's dangerous quackery that kills people. When your "free speech" starts filling hospital beds, maybe it's time to admit that reach matters. [1]