I’ll be the first to step up and say Facebook and Twitter have the right to step up and censor their platforms how they see fit. Their servers, their property,

I’ll be the first to step up and say Facebook and Twitter have the right to step up and censor their platforms how they see fit. Their servers, their property, that’s the way of the world. That’s not the same as saying they should censor, at least not censor in such a way as to effect the public discourse. They have the choice, that does not mean we can only uncritically observe their choices. If they don’t want porn, fine, which is probably a good call because it makes moderating porn a lot easier if you just ban it all, and some forms are illegal and immoral. If they want to ban pictures with the color purple or somebody holding up their hands making an “OK” gesture? That’s a bit more controversial, they can, their servers, their property, that doesn’t make it less stupid were they to do so. There’s a million alternatives to Facebook and Twitter, tons of social media companies, the goddamned phone system, FaceTime, most chat apps, the bloody pub when the pubs are open again. This does not mean Facebook, Twitter et al. are beyond reproach in their policies, and this is why they walk such a fine line: they’re taking it from both ends. Customers and users have a right to ask for what they want, more censorship, less, none at all or an extreme moral panic amount, maybe every post should be pre-approved by the Facebook Thought Security & Public Morals Maintenance Bureau before it goes live? I wouldn’t advocate for it, but there’s probably someone that would prefer it and deserves a slap in the head for it.