Social Media, Freedom of Speech, and Common Carriers: Response to Adam Candeub
If adopted by the Supreme Court, Prof. Candeub's approach would be a grave menace to freedom of speech.
If adopted by the Supreme Court, Prof. Candeub's approach would be a grave menace to freedom of speech.
The Univ. of Pennsylvania legal scholar makes the most thorough critique yet of this approach to justifying regulations that bar social media firms from engaging in most types of content moderation.
Prof. Hamburger continues to conflate coercion and voluntary choice.
The laws violate the First Amendment because they require social media sites to abjure most content moderation, and platform speech they disapprove of.
Both states are trying to force tech companies to platform certain sorts of speech.
The laws require major social media platforms to host content they disapprove of for substantive reasons.
The Fifth Circuit was right to rule it was illegal for the federal government to coerce social media firms, but wrong to uphold a Texas law requiring those firms to post material they prefer to keep out.
The podcast is a debate between legal scholar Brad Smith and myself.
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The ruling is not a final decision on the merits. But it likely signals that at least five Supreme Court justices believe the law is unconstitutional.
Justices Thomas and Gorsuch join Justice Alito's dissent, and Justice Kagan disagreed with the majority without opinion. This is not a decision on the merits of the law, but Justice Alito's dissent notes why the answer to the merits question is "quite unclear."
A new ruling says Twitter and Facebook are not “common carriers" and thus cannot be forced to carry politicians' messages.
Understanding the scope of Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid.
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The law forces social media firms to host and promote speech they oppose, and would set a dangerous precedent if upheld by the courts.
Comparing Elon Musk and Barack Obama underscores why entrepreneurs, not politicians, are the more effective agents of social change.
The first will be with Jane Bambauer, Ash Bhagwat, Christopher Yoo, and me, this Tuesday at noon Pacific.
The rationales for doing so are weak, and would create a dangerous slippery slope, if accepted.