Censorship and the Decline of Democracy

 

    

Thus far 2021 appears to be outpacing 2020 as a defining year for American history. The Coronavirus is rampaging on, a former president is facing indictment for impeachment charges, the United States capital was seized by domestic terrorists, and big tech is censoring American conservatives from the former President of the United States to 8 million users on the Parler app. American speech is being censored and that spells trouble for the fate of American democracy.

Until recently, social media platforms remained relatively neutral when considering whether or not to censor someone. Current moves by companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking platforms to permanently ban President Donald Trump has led many to question the 1st Amendment implications and the power that social media platforms have shown that they now have.

Censorship is not a 1st Amendment issue; contrary to popular belief. The first five words of the 1st Amendment are "Congress shall make no law" which narrows its constitutional protections. Censorship, however, still poses a very dangerous threat to the fabric of American democracy. If we allow big tech to censor individuals, including the sitting President of the United States of America (at the time he was censored), then big tech can censor anyone they disagree with and get away with it.

Many people argue that the implications of ignoring the threat to democracy that censorship holds will lead to the fall of the great American experiment. Some constitutional scholars argue that Facebook and Twitter's use of Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act of 1996 is flawed stating that at the time of the bills passage, social media was not widely available. So if the legislative protections are blurry, and obviously outdated 25 years later, are social media platforms really protected in their current purge of conservative voices? 

Ron DeSantis, the current governor of Florida and likely candidate for president in 2024, is currently fighting to protect all voices across all social media platforms. "Over the years these platforms have changed from neutral platforms that provide Americans to speak to enforces of preferred narratives" DeSantis said. His proposal calls for financial penalties to social media companies who censor private individuals. While DeSantis is focusing on the censorship mainly of American conservatives- since they are the only group being censored- his legislation will protect all Americans regardless of their labels.

Standing virtually alone, DeSantis understands the implications that big tech censorship will have on American democracy. Without a marketplace of ideas, democracy is dead and dialogue and discourse no longer exist. In order to preserve American democracy, we must protect the thoughts of all Americans no matter how much we disagree with them. Without them, we live under mob rule where no one is different but everyone is divided.

If big tech can censor the sitting President of the United States of America- the leader of the free world- who will be next?

Constitution Can Crack Section 230

DeSantis Proposes New Law Against Social Media Giants