zlacker

I keep seeing this, and I'm confused every time I see it, because speech on a private platform isn't protected by the first amendment.

Ummm… yes it is when the speech is being suppressed by the government?

That’s kinda the entire point of the 1st amendment.

The courts have ruled that the government asking a private party to censor is no different than the government censoring itself.

>>refurb+(OP)
What case did they rule that? It seems pretty routine that they get in contact with newspapers for this purpose so I'd be at least a little surprised to learn that it's been ruled unconstitutional but they're just flagrantly doing it anyway.

>>emoden+x
It seems pretty routine that they get in contact with newspapers

Nothing says they can't contact papers.

>>refurb+81
But they can't contact Twitter and express their opinions?

The government routinely speaks to news papers about the government opinion on articles and how they are wrong. That's not censorship. Holding a figurative pistol to someones head and say "change this line" is censoring and supressing free speech.

>>refurb+81
So if they contact the WSJ and try to get them to spike a story that's fine, but if they tell Twitter "we think you should remove these tweets for violating your policies" that's not? I would love to see what the case is because I can't understand how that would make sense.

>>KingOf+nx
Right, so instead of exposing themselves legally they do an end run of telling Twitter to ban and writing smear campaigns. Which is they did to Dr. Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford and Dr. Martin Kulldorff of Harvard.

>>KingOf+nx
Of course they can express their opinions. But it's not black and white.

The Twitter Files already has a statement from a Congressperson that Twitter's actions with the Hunter laptop will "result in a blood bath" during Congressional hearings.

If the 800 lb gorilla that is the US government is threatening a "blood bath", do you really have a choice when they ask for your "cooperation"?

>>refurb+pr2
In Germany yes, in the US, I don't know.