Opinion: Trump’s social media ban raises a question what are the rules and who enforces them? – The San Diego Union-Tribune

The United States and the world in general are in an unprecedented place when it comes to basic issues of free speech. The emergence of Facebook and Twitter as mass purveyors of speech and the related emergence of a cancel culture in which people and groups try to shut down those with views they find offensive has created a complicated, unsettling array of issues. Its now close to inevitable that some governments worldwide will respond to the question of whether the private sector especially giant tech firms based in California gets to decide what speech is acceptable and what is not.

Three recent cases raise basic free speech issues.

Facebook and Twitter removed President Donald Trumps accounts from their global platforms in recent weeks after concluding that he was attempting to foment violence by his supporters over his false claim that he was cheated out of re-election. He brought that on himself. Yet the social networks did nothing in response to similar incendiary communications by politicians in Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Brazil that led to lynchings, pogroms, extrajudicial killings or ethnic cleansing, as the Los Angeles Times reported.

The leaders of Germany, Mexico and Australia raised another concern as well: They said a decision to shut off an elected officials prime means of communicating with a nation should be made by a government, not a CEO. This is a fair point but it is hard to see the irresponsible Trump as a victim.

Drawing a line at incitement of violence is easy, and essential. Deciding what else goes too far will be more difficult, but social media giants have had problems for years with users complaining of abuse, harassment and threats. Theyve known this day was coming. In plain language, Facebook and Twitter need to explain what is and isnt acceptable for posting. Increasingly, they are being considered for greater government regulation la utility companies. That almost seems inevitable. Ultimately, Donald Trumps most lasting legacy may be his role in the overdue reckoning of social media sites.

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Opinion: Trump's social media ban raises a question what are the rules and who enforces them? - The San Diego Union-Tribune