Below is my column in USA Today on the panic among political and media figures at the prospect that Elon Musk might return free speech protections to Twitter. I have long advocated what I call the “First Amendment model” for social media to replicate the standards applied to the government. While I am often called a “free speech absolutist,” I recognize that a social media company (like the government) has some ability to curtail speech containing elements like threats. The question is the baseline, which is far lower when modeled on the First Amendment. This admittedly means that some offensive or false claims will be allowed on social media, which will function closer to a common carrier or other means of communications like telephones. Rather than continue the expanding level of censorship and biased “content modification,” free speech can address such bad speech with better speech.
Here is the column: Continue reading “Will Musk “End Twitter As We Know it”? I Sincerely Hope So”
There is a bizarre case out of the Michigan where Kevin VanLuven, 60, was convicted of aggravated indecent exposure. That itself is unfortunately not strange or rare. However, VanLuven was convicted of using a Tickle Me Elmo doll to masturbate while he was inspecting a residence for a potential purchaser. He was, however, acquitted of malicious destruction of property under $200
