We did just have an interesting experiment in free speech over the last few years, and it’s still not clear where it ends up.
In the US there’s a carveout where online providers are not liable for what their users say, as long as the platform is free and open. However as the current craziness started breaking out, they did start moderating more, preventing at least some false info and at least some calls to endanger public safety. However, are they still not liable, now that they actively participate in what is allowed on their systems? Where should the line be drawn between false and endangering vs free speech, in what people use social media for? When it was just the village idiot spewing hate and violence, we could mostly ignore them, but what about when they have global reach, connect with other village idiots, actually instigate violence?
We did just have an interesting experiment in free speech over the last few years, and it’s still not clear where it ends up.
In the US there’s a carveout where online providers are not liable for what their users say, as long as the platform is free and open. However as the current craziness started breaking out, they did start moderating more, preventing at least some false info and at least some calls to endanger public safety. However, are they still not liable, now that they actively participate in what is allowed on their systems? Where should the line be drawn between false and endangering vs free speech, in what people use social media for? When it was just the village idiot spewing hate and violence, we could mostly ignore them, but what about when they have global reach, connect with other village idiots, actually instigate violence?