Censorship or Freedom of Speech on Social Media

It’s commonly accepted in the United States that the idea of free speech does not cover everything such as yelling fire in a crowded theatre. It’s clear the danger that that poses for the safety of people; however, with new technologies emerging it is easier to really employ that free speech and share ideas. The equivalent of screaming fire in a crowded theatre on the internet, however, has potential to do far more damage since it can reach more people. However, the question is: What should the rules be about using social media platforms to avoid widespread?

This is a topic of much debate recently, admidst the insurrection that occurred at the Capitol. Some say it was tied to the specific tweets that were posted and shared amongst those individuals. Similarly, revolutions have occurred (Iran and Egypt) that were fueled and power through Twitter. When considering if technologies can be political, it brings up the debate about whether social media platform are political; if they choose to censor potentially harmful speech, it could be seen by some as political and likewise, if speech is not censored it could be interpreted as political.

Originally, social media was created to spread ideas and thoughts quickly. With the new power we have seen social media to have, our idea of freedom of speech should also evolve. It is hard for the government to tell private companies what they should and should not do without overstepping, but there must be some change to address the way that this technology has been politicized.