Part 9/10:
These developments occur within a larger political and cultural climate where content gatekeeping and censorship are hot-button issues. Critics argue that both extremes—militant left and right—pose risks to free expression. There is concern that financial institutions, platforms, and even companies themselves might blackball creators based on ideological alignment or perceived associations.
The desire to protect consumers from scams is legitimate, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of artistic freedom or marketplace diversity. As history has shown, when platform policies become too restrictive, creators often find other avenues—be it crowdfunding, direct sales, or self-publishing—until those pathways are also threatened.