Justice Thomas got it right before he got it wrong
The debate over Free Speech on the Internet is a touchy issue, especially when we start talking about social media platforms and forums for democratic debate. Seemingly, everything boils down to a single question: Do you have a First Amendment right to social media, or not?
Over the years, lawyers and Constitutional scholars have expended considerable energy to explain why there is no Constitutional right to social media. The reason why, in a nutshell, is that social media platforms are private property, hosted on private servers, and the First Amendment places no burden on private property.
Productivity gains came at a premium to personal well-being
In the year since many of us were pushed into remote work arrangements article after article have popped up to declare that remote work and flexible work arrangements are the “future of work.” Of course, it’s easy to jump to that conclusion. In purely economic terms, the global telework experiment has proven successful, and trends conclude that remote work and flexible work arrangements are possible, even increasing productivity in many cases while minimizing employee turnover. …
This post was co-authored by Will Rinehart and Christopher Koopman
With the Facebook Oversight Board still in its infancy, the Board’s cases and its decisions could be seen by some as inconsequential. But contrary to this belief, the Board’s move to provide a decision on the Trump deplatforming case poses an existential risk of eliminating the Board’s “independence” and credibility.
Central to the Oversight Board’s scope laid out in Article 2 of its Charter is a focus on content. Beyond this clear authority to review content decisions, the enforceability of rulings like Facebook’s deplatforming decisions are left uncharted. …
The things that catch my eye and how they inspire me in this new year
As someone who studies technology and innovation policy, I pride myself on being a futurist. That means I have my sights set on the future, and I believe fervently in its promise. With that said, as we turn the page on 2020, I remain determined to welcome 2021 with an optimistic and forward-looking gaze.
In that spirit, let’s talk about the future — from what’s out there left to be explored to what has finally revealed itself on the horizon of possibility. Let’s talk about the year 2021 and what we hope it brings. After all, why write about tech…
If you tuned in to the Senate testimony of Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey last November, you might have glazed over by hour four. In fairness, there are only so many hours one can be expected to suffer through political bantering and awkward responses. But if you hung in there through the end, you heard a strong signal from a top Republican Senator that future antitrust action for Facebook was inevitable.
In that Senate hearing, Senator Kennedy addressed the two tech CEOs in his cool, calm, and collected southern drawl:
“Gentlemen, each of you has founded an extraordinarily successful company…
Caden G Rosenbaum
Technology & Innovation Associate | Center for Growth and Opportunity | @CadenRosenbaum
