Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: Snowybear
BOOM!

Supreme Court agrees to hear a case that could determine (if) social media companies can censor users

641 posted on 10/17/2018 10:03:38 AM PDT by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 32:12)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 638 | View Replies ]


To: stars & stripes forever

I don’t like use of that vehicle to get the issue of Facebook, Twitter and Google censorship in front of the court. Public access TV is by its nature limited in time and its ability to allow all points of view. They are not by any means a monopoly of the public square. Whereas, Facebook et al. have become monopolies. Their business is such that it is conducive to have one place where everyone goes to communicate. You can’t have 12 Facebooks, you would only get to stay in touch with a small percentage of your friends. It is a natural monopoly.

And, being a natural monopoly, in a sphere in which public opinions are expressed, there is a body of law that says that creation of a public square on private property can make that private property subject to constitutional free speech protection. I am hoping for a case that analyses the issues with that in mind. Public access TV is too different, and could lead to bad precedent.


688 posted on 10/17/2018 2:02:54 PM PDT by Defiant (I may be deplorable, but I'm not getting in that basket.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 641 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson