Biden Revokes Trump Decree That Overruled Section 230 For Internet Regulation – IT Pro – News

Without that section, authorities could hold platforms responsible for restricting, for example, freedom of expression, such as when they delete user posts. Companies were naturally critical of that, because without Section 230 they would have to moderate a lot more.

I understand that it is customary to be critical of everything to which the name Trump is attached. But now let’s take a good look at this and actually evaluate it on value.

Social media is in fact a group of three to four mega companies. All other social media added together is still a minuscule part. This means you have a very select number of companies with which people can express their opinion to the general public. In my opinion, this involves a responsibility. Don’t say that people are allowed to stand on a potato field somewhere to spit their bile there: that has no reach and cannot be compared at all with the reach of social media. De facto you are simply silenced.

In a country that you want to call a democracy, it is of the utmost importance that ALL opinions can be heard. Whether you are for or against something: it shouldn’t matter. And in the US election, you really saw a huge difference between types of Republican posts that were blocked and similar posts from Democrats that didn’t. You saw and see the same thing with posts related to Corona. Outside of what you agree or disagree with, that’s a very dangerous thing.

So there are four companies that decide what information you receive and what information you can distribute. That these are commercial companies and “they themselves can know what they are doing” is a non-argument to me. In a democratic constitutional state, it is of the utmost importance that discussion can take place and that “unwelcome” or controversial opinions may also be expressed (and heard).

Trump’s decree theoretically allowed for more freedom of speech. And not necessarily for more moderation. After all: you have to delete fewer posts than. That you have to adjust your automagic algorithms a bit differently will indeed be correct. But that may also be a good thing. Those algorithms now seem to kill quite a bit of discussion before they arise …

And before you immediately start talking about hate speach, discrimination or inciting violence: that is still punishable. The difference is that social media platforms cannot just delete posts because everyone has the same right to express their opinion. Also the people you disagree with.

In a true democracy as part of a constitutional state, everyone has their own responsibility. You will be given that responsibility as soon as you participate in the public debate. But that is and must be the responsibility of the people themselves as part of the trias politica. If we hand over part of that responsibility (to social media companies, or even the government with certain rules in this regard) then that will be the death-blow for a democracy in the long term. Without discussions no progress, no democracy and ultimately always misery.

In short: I disagree with the suggestive tone and unsubstantiated assumptions of the author of this post on T.net.

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