Big Tech Censorship

Big tech has been increasingly censoring all forms of information that is critical of the mainstream narrative. This has become a significant problem. These corporations’ actions have real-world consequences that go beyond freedom of speech. One of these issues is the process of elections in our country. This year the amount of censorship was so intrusive that it actually had a measurable effect on a national election. It became blatantly obvious this year that the majority of media companies are in the tank for one candidate and censor any information that is critical of him. At the same time, these same corporations openly promote literal conspiracy theories against the other candidate. This favoritism has a significant effect on election results. The truth is, the corporate media is openly subverting the democratic process with this behavior. This should trouble all Americans no matter what your political ideology is.

One of the main arguments in defense of these companies’ censorship practices is that they are private businesses that are allowed to set the terms of conditions of their platforms. They also claim that they are not publishers. The problem with these arguments is that they have monopolized 95% of the communications and are clearly editorializing their content in a heavily biased way. Free speech needs to transcend these corporations’ business models. This is America. Free speech is what this nation was built on. Often times we put forward “fixes” to problems that have clear unintended consequences that are ignored. That seems to be the case here as well.

Repealing Section 230

Youtube channel Styxhexenhammer666 explains why repealing section 230 is a terrible idea and does not solve the censorship problem. Here are some highlights of the video:

• Repealing Section 230 will not prevent larger platforms from censorship. it will only harm smaller platforms that do not have the resources to withstand litigation that 230 was designed to protect. Free speech platforms like Parler, Gab, Minds, and Bitchute simply could not exist without Section 230.
• One of the reasons we are in this situation is because of the centralized nature of this industry and the lack of competition in this market. Repealing Section 230 will wipe out any smaller competitors to big tech.
• The smaller free speech platforms are the only ones that are conforming to Section 230. They do not censor content for ideological reasons. They only edit illegal content or truly dangerous behavior.
• Section 230 needs to be modified, not repealed. Platforms that do not adhere to the guidelines set forth in 230 need to be held accountable and lose the protection that 230 provides.