Patreon furor over censorship

On Dec. 6, Patreon kicked anti-feminist polemic Carl Benjamin, who works under the name Sargon of Akkad, off its site for using racist language on YouTube. That same week, it removed right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos a day after he opened an account. The moves prompted a revolt. Sam Harris, an atheist neuroscientist known for his podcast “Waking Up,” announced he would leave Patreon, citing worries about censorship. He was joined by about half a dozen other prominent members of the site. The furor is a microcosm of the conflicts as technology platforms try to limit the spread of hateful speech.

Ex-Nissan director released

Greg Kelly, a U.S. citizen and a former director of Nissan Motor of Japan, was released from a Tokyo jail Tuesday. A Japanese judge, reviewing requests from Kelly’s family and the U.S. government, ruled that Kelly could be freed on bail of 70 million yen, or about $640,000. Prosecutors immediately appealed the decision, but the court denied the appeal Tuesday night. Kelly, who has been having health problems, was shown walking from the detention center in live coverage.

— From wire reports