Social Media: Freedom of Speech
Kennedy said cyberspace, and social media in particular, was among the “most important places ... for the exchange of views.” He compared the internet to a public forum, akin to a public street or park.
“While I don’t believe any hard numbers exist, with an ever-increasing increase of available online platforms, it seems very likely that hate speech has risen significantly over the past decade,” says Shannon Martinez, program manager for Free Radicals Project, a group that provides support for those seeking to leave hate groups. “The internet is the main recruiting ground for most of today’s violence and hate-based groups.”
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 is a landmark piece of Internet legislation in the United States making providers responsible for indecent content posted by users that could extend to other types of questionable free speech.
"Section 230 is not about neutrality. Period. Full stop. 230 is all about letting private companies make their own decisions to leave up some content and take other content down." Jeff Kosseff, law professor