For so long social media companies have been disguising themselves as a method of free speech to hide their true corporate nature. This is why they have avoided censoring @realDonaldTrump and others.

Social Media companies want us to see twitter/Facebook/Reddit/Instagram like a public-use bulletin board when they are really more analogous to the Target intercom system. This keeps the users from realizing they are generating content for corporations for free.
But, most importantly, when social media corporations disguise themselves as public-use bulletin boards they confuse the public into thinking first amendment protections should apply to user-generated content AND THEREFORE we should not regulate social media as a whole.
Plainly, twitter (et al) wants to be seen more like your right to self-publish a manifesto and less like a corporation for whom we work for zero wages while they steal our data. They are hiding behind the Bill of Rights which, simply, does not apply to them whatsoever.
As a result, users like @realDonaldTrump are allowed free range to “say whatever they want” in “the name of free speech.” That right is not guaranteed by the BOR, but rather, it is promised by the terms and conditions of this corporate entity.
(I promise the irony of this thread on Twitter is not lost on me)
So, Donald Trump has spent the last 9 weeks informing his supporters that the election was stolen and democracy is broken. How did the vast majority of citizens encounter this disinformation campaign? Social media.
Social Media corporations are welcome to question the government. THAT is actually protected free speech. But, these social media corporations (who profit from posts by DJT) do not want us to see their publication of disinformation as *the corporation exercising free speech.*
They want us to hold them blameless (like a fax machine utilized to send copies of a manifesto from one person to another) and to see their publication of DJT’s disinformation about our democracy as a utility performing its natural function.
But the ugly truth is that Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Parler, Instagram, and many others are corporations who have intentionally allowed DJT to inject disinformation that is dangerously detrimental our democracy into public discourse because they (1) like ad dollars and...
(2) Want to avoid regulation.

These capitalist, corporate-owned “platforms” are spreading lies about an American election for the purpose of increasing click revenue.
As long as social media corporations give a platform to those who would destroy our democracy for personal gain, they are responsible for the destructive outcomes.

In my opinion, this means the US Congress has a valid tort claim against each of these social media corps.

More from Trump

Long thread: Because I couldn’t find anything comprehensive, I’m just going to post everything I’ve seen in the news/Twitter about Trump’s activities related to the Jan 6th insurrection. I think the timing & context of his actions/inactions will matter a lot for a senate trial.

12/12: The earlier DC protest over the electoral college vote during clearly inspired Jan 6th. On Dec 12th, he tweeted: “Wow! Thousands of people forming in Washington (D.C.) for Stop the Steal. Didn’t know about this, but I’ll be seeing them! #MAGA.”


12/19: Trump announces the Jan. 6th event by tweeting, “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!” Immediately, insurrectionists begin to discuss the “Wild Protest.” Just 2 days later, this UK political analyst predicts the violence


12/26-27: Trump announces his participation on Twitter. On Dec. 29, the FBI sends out a nationwide bulletin warning legislatures about attacks https://t.co/Lgl4yk5aO1


1/1: Trump tweets the time of his protest. Then he retweets “The calvary is coming” on Jan. 6!” Sounds like a war? About this time, the FBI begins visiting right wing extremists to tell them not to go--does the FBI tell the president? https://t.co/3OxnB2AHdr
Allow me to offer some commentary on several SCOTUS cases that are NOT the #moab, but which, considered in aggregate, will reveal my impressions on the #TRUMPSMASH #lawOfFunny

Can someone give me a google number or something? I want a party line.

https://t.co/SlJCsjWMUa


I'm sorry, but #lawOFFunny #nominologicaldeterminism.

#thomists


This one is important:

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