2 ms·

What’s the relation between this and free speech? It’s a sports broadcast, they are liable for their editorial choices, and they make no claim to anything rese

What’s the relation between this and free speech? It’s a sports broadcast, they are liable for their editorial choices, and they make no claim to anything resembling the protections traditionally afforded common carriers.

boothby 1y ago
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Banning the press from reporting on facts is, in fact, a dire infringement of our rights.
- frumplestlatz 1y ago
  The U.S. Open is a sporting event, not a governmental organization, and anyone broadcasting the event is licensing it from the US Tennis Association. If the USTA or this event in any way resembled a common carrier, there might still be a free speech argument to be made, but they obviously don’t. They’re just producing a tennis event.
- quesera 1y ago
  ... and the US Open is not Congress. Although, I would absolutely consider making that trade, if it were offered.
- robocat 1y ago
  The US Open is [edited] run by a nonprofit, the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Was Congress involved?
bediger4000 1y ago
There were any amount of accusations of censorship ca 2020-21 when Twitter, a private company, chose to enforce terms of service and throw folks off for COVID-19 disinformation. I assume those same absolutists, who insisted that Twitter was censoring someone, will come down hard on the US Open for more overt, more specific censorship.
- frumplestlatz 1y ago
  There is a valid argument that special protections afforded by the government, and traditionally only granted to common carriers — very limited liability for user speech — incur a moral responsibility for those receiving those protections to operate in a manner that does not interfere in their users’ free expression. The U.S. Open is in no way similar. They are not a public platform, do not operate in any way resembling a public square or common carrier, and are solely responsible and liable for the content they distribute.

boothby 1y ago

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Banning the press from reporting on facts is, in fact, a dire infringement of our rights.

frumplestlatz 1y ago
The U.S. Open is a sporting event, not a governmental organization, and anyone broadcasting the event is licensing it from the US Tennis Association. If the USTA or this event in any way resembled a common carrier, there might still be a free speech argument to be made, but they obviously don’t. They’re just producing a tennis event.
quesera 1y ago
... and the US Open is not Congress. Although, I would absolutely consider making that trade, if it were offered.
robocat 1y ago
The US Open is [edited] run by a nonprofit, the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Was Congress involved?

bediger4000 1y ago

There were any amount of accusations of censorship ca 2020-21 when Twitter, a private company, chose to enforce terms of service and throw folks off for COVID-19 disinformation. I assume those same absolutists, who insisted that Twitter was censoring someone, will come down hard on the US Open for more overt, more specific censorship.

frumplestlatz 1y ago
There is a valid argument that special protections afforded by the government, and traditionally only granted to common carriers — very limited liability for user speech — incur a moral responsibility for those receiving those protections to operate in a manner that does not interfere in their users’ free expression. The U.S. Open is in no way similar. They are not a public platform, do not operate in any way resembling a public square or common carrier, and are solely responsible and liable for the content they distribute.