In today’s digital world, free speech is largely dependent on services provided via the WWW marketplace – services such as those available through social media sites, web hosts, search engines and Internet name registrars. When those who control the ability to speak via these means put their thumbs on the scale in an effort to silence those with whom they do not agree, we should consider it an attack on free speech and act accordingly. I’ve warned about this possibility before here and here, but it seems to have reared its head on a massive scale much faster than even I thought possible.
We cannot allow this type of viewpoint discrimination and censorship to stand. Where would it stop? Today it’s so-called white supremacists; next week it might be conservatives, and the week after Republicans in general. Fifty years ago it was Socialists; fifty more from now it might be Democrats. The point is that even if you agree with these actions today because they are taken against your enemy, one day it might be you on the other side of this debate. What would you do if it was your opinion being censored?
When social media moguls want their platforms to become the primary, necessary means of communication for the masses, their effective censorship of specific speech can be troublesome. If they want to act as political operatives and lobbyists, so be it – but then let’s regulate them as such.
(And you were worried about Russian interference in our elections? Wait till you see what a social media censorship campaign can accomplish…)