No, Your Freedom of Speech Has Not Been Assaulted

But this is why it feels that way…

Photo by Mike Von on Unsplash

The outcry over the shutdown of the conservative haven, Parler, has been strong. Even in the wake of mob violence incited by, and organized on, social media, many believe that shutting down the platform was a step too far.

Any business has a right to refuse service. Step into your local convenience store and start screaming about plans to assault customers or “put a bullet in their noggin,” and you’ll likely be asked to leave or escorted out by the police.

There is nothing technically wrong with Twitter, Amazon, Apple, or Google denying service to companies or individuals who don’t comply with their terms of service. Those affected are free to go elsewhere to espouse their views.

But where do they go? Therein lies the real problem we’re not discussing.

The monopolization of platforms where we exercise our free speech has created a means to deny a voice to millions of Americans. These punitive actions aren’t taken through democratic process, but at the will of unregulated corporations who form a larger threat than any manufactured conspiracy ever did.

For decades, Americans have been at the mercy of a vast apparatus that circumvents governance for and by the people. Through…