It may have been a while since people have talked about Silicon Valley’s love of censorship. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a growing problem. For years, conservatives have found themselves kicked off major platforms, accused of “hate speech” and other bogus charges.
The worse was when Twitter and other networks banned Donald Trump (who was still president) over baseless accusations. We all know they wanted to get rid of him for years. The act of kicking him off their platforms set a precedent that social media has the power to rob Americans of their First Amendment rights.
The move sparked outrage from Americans of various backgrounds. Now, an unlikely ally has come forward to all condemn what Twitter did.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) told The New York Times that he wasn’t comfortable with the idea that former President Donald Trump was banned from Twitter back in January, at a time when Trump was still the leader of the United States…
“But if you’re asking me, do I feel particularly comfortable that the then-president of the United States could not express his views on Twitter? I don’t feel comfortable about that.”
“…it is an issue that we have got to be thinking about. Because yesterday it was Donald Trump who was banned, and tomorrow, it could be somebody else who has a very different point of view.” [Source: Daily Wire]
Sanders didn’t have many nice things to say about Trump personally, spouting off his usual lies against him (perhaps driven by Sanders’ utter jealousy over Trump’s success). But he did manage to stop his rant long enough to explain it was not right for Twitter to ban Trump. He was able to explain that if Twitter is allowed to do this to a sitting president, it won’t be long before they do it to anyone with a “different point of view.”
This is what conservatives have been saying all along. Previously, social media banned more extremist figures like Alex Jones. Nobody said a peep. Because they got away with that, they banned Donald Trump while he was still president. How long before they shut down anyone they disagree with?
Sanders seems to understand this. I sure he realizes that his far-left ideology doesn’t go over well with everything—especially capitalists that run major companies in Silicon Valley. He probably fears that one day, he’ll tweet something that gets him banned.
Sadly, though, Sanders is not competent enough to find the solution—although it’s staring him in the face. When asked what our leaders can do he said, “I don’t know what the answer is.” Um… has he not been paying attention?
For years, Donald Trump called on Congress to revoke social media’s Section 230 immunity. That would end their ability to censor users on their platforms. It would force social networks to be much more neutral in how they react to user content, only stepping in when something is obviously illegal (like drug trafficking, etc.).
Sanders should know this. But because, perhaps, it was a solution recommended by Trump, he can’t wrap his brain around it.
Regardless of his incompetence, he’s right about one thing, something needs to be done.