I’m a little on the fence here. The 1st amendment is to protect against the government inhibiting your free speech. Not fellow citizens inhibiting fellow citizens speech. Twitter, facebook, whomever are not the government, you sign a terms of agreement and abide by them. You don’t, you either find a new game or make your own (private) platform.
If twitter (or whoever) want to become a liberal echo chamber, they can do that and suffer the consequences of stock price, exiting consumers, lower market share. Call it a bad business decision, but that is theirs to make. From their demise something new and better may arise.
(My flamesuit is on.)
At some point, these platforms, especially Google and to a certain extent Twitter, have crossed the line from private service to Public Utility. Like everything else in the technology age, this will have to addressed.
True, except they exist on the internet bought and paid for by the taxpayers.
And how can you tell when this is actually the decision of "private" mega corporations, and not caused by pressure from the government?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3680451/posts
The way this is going to work is a piece of sh*t like "Barack Obama" will say, "Twitter. If you don't shut off conservatives, I'm going to order a massive federal audit of your corporation. "
Corrupt Thug Barack Obama says to Google. "Google. If you do not eradicate conservative speech on your platform, I am going to order the Justice department to hit you with massive fraud and anti-trust violations, or any other charge we can make up against you. "
So allowing "private" corporations to regulate American Public communications, can and will result in GOVERNMENT prohibiting speech.
You need it. What you don't seem to realize is they are a true fifth column and we are their enemy. You should not be able to open a business with government protections, for the express purpose of destroying that government.
In simpler times that would be called Treason.
I hear what you are saying. At issue here is whether Facebook et al are now the “public square.”
If they are they have to have reasonable accommodation.
No flaming from moi.
Governments censor.
Private companies do not.
“Not fellow citizens inhibiting fellow citizens speech. “
... on a FREE web service.
“...you either find a new game or make your own (private) platform.”
Is it okay for AT&T to cancel your phone service if you call a friend and praise Trump?
What’s your estimate, in dollars, to start a new phone service?
The Mormon church was slammed for providing “In Kind” services to prevent the passage of homosexual marriage laws in California.
These companies are providing “In Kind” services to promote the Democrat Party.