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There is no explicit, enumerated Constitutional power granted to Congress or ANY branch of the federal govt to break up free enterprises. Indeed, the Congress didn't seek to break up US offices of the East India Company. The Sherman Antitrust Act draws its legal underpinning from the Commerce Clause, perhaps the most abused element of the Constitution. To give sanction to a federal break up "monopolies" via the Sherman Antitrust Act, i.e. the Commerce Clause, is to give sanction to every other abuse of the Commerce Clause from the New Deal up to the Lopez decision.

In 1995 many people (including Robert Bork...while on Netscape's payroll) argued that Microsoft should be broken up. It wasn't. In response, several firms had to rely on innovation and the free market. The result? I can post to FR while commuting to work, while Microsoft isn't the Master of the Universe anymore.

I don't like what FB et al are doing. But the same means by which many want to grant Leviathan the power to regulate a few servers and wires that NOBODY IS FORCED TO USE is the same means by which guns can be regulated out of existence, dissent can be quashed, and state socialism/governmental choosing of winners and losers can be enacted.

I'm sorry...I'll chose the Founders' intent and freedom over state socialism any day.

“I don’t like what FB et al are doing. But the same means by which many want to grant Leviathan the power to regulate a few servers and wires that NOBODY IS FORCED TO USE is the same means by which guns can be regulated out of existence, dissent can be quashed, and state socialism/governmental choosing of winners and losers can be enacted.”

I’m fine with this, but these social media platforms have been given a special exemption to the law that they fully use when convenient. That gives them responsibility.

I am afraid we are forced to use the biggies.

There are no alternaives, and at work and in personal lives, we are all being directed to on line sources.

There are no more off line sources for various issues.

for example, one cannot get paycheck information unless on line and using search or app, one needs to sign up to receive information about labs etc. from doctors, businesses have all put scheduling on line and text alerts for open shifts.

Truckers have many issue requiring on line services so don’t tell me that there are options and choices.

Generally a good argument. The problem is these companies aren’t just independent actors. They’re being pressured by leftists in government to restrict speech by conservatives. These companies are powerful enough on their own but it’s the sense that they’re connected to even greater powers — namely the ideological left and the part of government controlled by the left — that makes this feel like a big deal. It makes it seem unwise to just sit back and wait for the market to innovate around this problem.

I'm sorry...I'll chose the Founders' intent and freedom over state socialism any day.

I would too, except that when private industries are stepping up to commit censorship and the other acts of totalitarianism that have previously been the purview of governments--what is the answer? When the "social media" giants have taken it upon themselves to promote violence and social upheaval and to suppress the voices of unity, what are we to do? When social media is trying to suppress free speech and the other Constitutional rights that we take for granted, how do we fight back?

This is a huge problem, and I do not know the answer.