The more technical an issue is, the easier it is to report it incorrectly. Today I noticed a widely retweeted claim that Parler had sent the email addresses of all its users in a message related to Kayne West’s acquisition of the service. Here it is:
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A change in PayPal’s policies has blown up in its face. PayPal claimed the right to debit accounts $2,500 for “misinformation.” It would be the sole judge of what constitutes misinformation. In the face of widespread user fury, PayPal backed down, claiming “the language was never intended to be inserted into our policy.” Even with the removal of that language, it still has language financially penalizing some forms of expression.
People often disagree on facts. Some people make claims which others say are false. Non-fiction writers are in the business of asserting facts, and sometimes they claim that what’s “common knowledge” is wrong. Many writers get paid through PayPal, and sometimes it’s the only option the customer offers. If PayPal decides your article is wrong, it could take away a large fraction of a month’s income.
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Computers are everywhere, yet writers of scripts for movies and TV constantly get them wrong. Ludicrously wrong. Good written fiction, especially science fiction, does better, but writers of all kinds need to be careful. You can depart from the real world if you like, but you have to know what you’re doing. Make sure the reader knows it’s intentional.
Here are six ways writers can mess up. Not all of them are completely impossible, but if you use any of them, you at least need to make the scenario plausible.
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The word “Fascism,” as it’s too often abused in political discourse, has come to mean nothing more precise than “bad.” There are clearer words for governments that exercise improper power, such as “authoritarian” and “totalitarian.” Fascism is supposed to denote a certain kind of authoritarian system. Writers need to exercise precision when using the word, rather than tossing it around as a general insult.
In its original sense, the word comes from the Fascist Party of Italy and refers to Italy’s government under Benito Mussolini before and during World War II. It’s used more broadly to indicate governments that follow policies similar to Fascist Italy or people who (allegedly) support those policies. Just what are those policies?
The best place to start is with Mussolini’s own words. The History Guide provides some key writings by Mussolini. The page is in English; my Italian isn’t up to any serious reading. Near the beginning we find the most important point:
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Amazon is changing its e-book return policy to make it harder to read entire books for free, producing no income for the author. Currently, it’s generally permitted to “return” any e-book within seven days for a full refund, even if the customer has read the whole thing. Under the new policy, automatic returns will be allowed only if the customer hasn’t read more than 10% of the book. People who have read more than 10% can still request a refund, but they’ll have to file a customer service request, which a human will review.
Some authors have reportedly experienced a serious decline in their income due to abuse of the return policy.
Of course, this is a reminder that Amazon tracks your reading habits in detail when you buy their e-books.
Liberty Fund’s Online Library of Liberty has given me a chance to turn my love of classical music into paid work. My third article on an operatic subject is now up on the site, discussing Verdi’s Don Carlo. This piece also let me put my study of the 16th century to good use. In fact, the opera’s strange ending makes more sense if you assume intervention by my Magic Battery mages, as in “Snares of Satan.” How else could Charles V have rescued the protagonist ten years after his death?
But seriously, the opera gets into themes of religious oppression and liberty, which were very important to Verdi. It deals with the rebellions in the Spanish-held Low Countries, fueled by the Protestant Reformation. The Grand Inquisitor is creepy, and the auto-da-fé scene is spectacular. I enjoyed the chance to watch the opera again online and write about it.
These are my previous opera articles on the same site:
Here’s my author page, now with links to my articles.
The question keeps popping up on Reddit: “Am I allowed to write about [category of people who are different from me]?” It’s always on Reddit.
Short answer: Yes.
Slightly longer and more precise version: There’s no “allowed.” You don’t need to ask anyone for permission to write.
The August 12 assault on Salman Rushdie was almost certainly prompted by his “blasphemy.” In 1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini took a dislike to Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, called it blasphemy, and put a bounty on Rushdie and his publishers. Rushdie went into hiding for years, the book’s Japanese translator was murdered, and the Italian translator was stabbed. 
Writing about controversial subjects has always attracted anger and violence, and religion is one of the most controversial. Many governments with state religions have imposed severe penalties for blasphemy. Leviticus 24:16 says, “And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.” The most famous blasphemy execution in history was the one of Jesus of Nazareth. For his part, Jesus said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the one unforgivable sin.
In modern times, several countries, mostly Muslim, have laws against blasphemy, sometimes carrying the death penalty. In Pakistan, mobs have murdered alleged blasphemers. Even the supposedly civilized country of Austria has a blasphemy law, and several people have been convicted under it. The European Court of “Human Rights” says that such laws are fine. So much for freedom of religion. Germany has a law that can get someone who “through dissemination of written materials (section 11(3)) defames the religion or ideology of others” locked up for three years.
The Institute for Justice has launched a lawsuit against the city of Lakeway, Texas, over its heavy restrictions on home-based businesses. The business at the center of the controversy is a daycare center, but it got me wondering how freelance writers are affected. The city had nineteen criteria to be met, recently reduced to ten. I can’t find a full list, but the hints I’ve seen suggest that writers are OK in principle. Freelance writers don’t normally have customers come to their homes, make lots of noise, or emit clouds of toxic fumes.
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Most writers are freelancers. In many places in the United States, you need the government’s permission, in the form of a business license, to be a freelance writer. Convincing the government to let you earn money writing generally requires paying money. This is a direct violation of the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of the press. You aren’t free if you need to pay for permission to earn a living. Don’t count on the courts to agree with you, though.
If you choose to incorporate, that’s a separate issue; this article applies only to sole proprietorships. By definition, incorporation involves registration with a government office.
Zoning can be another concern. In some places, people aren’t allowed to operate a business from their home, even if it has no impact on anything beyond its walls. You can try to stay under the radar, but a neighbor could snitch on you. I don’t cover zoning issues here.
Some states require a license to operate any kind of business, but freelance writing may or may not be considered a “business” for that purpose. To a large extent, governments realize it would be bad publicity to ban people from writing or fine them for lack of permission, but it can happen. I’ve seen people say on freelancer boards that their state required them to get a license.
Corrections and additional information in the comments are welcome.
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