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Twitter is a private platform. Free speech laws in America do not apply. People seriously need to get this pounded into their heads. Read the bill of rights.
by cwhiz 6y ago
Twitter is a private platform. Free speech laws in America do not apply.
People seriously need to get this pounded into their heads. Read the bill of rights. You do not have a right to free speech on private platforms.
Twitter is the equivalent of you arguing with me in my house. I can tell you to be quiet or I’ll kick you out of my house. You have no free speech rights in private spaces. Twitter is a private company. You have no free speech rights on their platform.
- nkozyra 6y agoI don't see any reference to the 1st Amendment in the parent comment. Rather, this is a better analog to shield laws, which can protect media from divulging sources in many cases.
- cwhiz 6y agoOP mentioned free speech and Twitter is using free speech in their legal defense.
- nkozyra 6y agoIn the argument you made, private versus public is entirely irrelevant. There are two free speech arguments. Keep in mind that "free speech" is not relegated to the 1st Amendment and defenses of that generally lean on supplementary law. 1) The free speech of the user. Again, while it's true that it's not protected within a private entity, it's irrelevant because your protections are limited; in this case when your speech breaks another law. 2) The free speech of the platform. Being compelled to reveal this information really doesn't even touch any free speech argument except a vague interpretation of shield laws. DMCA as it exists provides legal protection against the crime, of course.
- Wowfunhappy 6y agoI saw the free speech angle as related to the government’s ability to go after Twitter, and this user. (But I agree with GP that the point is moot if they impersonated the FBI.)