I think this is the point everyone is missing.

I agree companies should be able to censor what they like, however they aren't a platform they're a publisher. If reddit or Twitter want to blacklist every conservative or libertarian voice that's fine, even if it's "really hard" to make another platform. Umm No.

The corollary to that is platforms are generally not liable under section 230, and publishers are. Platforms generally can't be sued for damages, and don't have much civil or criminal liability. But they've given companies that are likely publishers the same benefits as platforms, likely because they toed the line in a grey area.

This restricts the ability of users who could sue a platform like Twitter for such things defamation, libel, loss of ad revenues, swatting, child porn etc. Ironically enough, the courts and money was designed to keep many companies in check, but turns out the courts and our politicians generally gave them immunity anyway, especially if they're part of an in-group.

Up until now, They've straddled the line. So everyone treated them as a platform. People even had their ad revenues coming through these sites, which is essentially their work compensation. After they began to label certain opinions as racist/misogynist/homophobic, which defamed them and likely causes them to lose advertisers, that's a problem.

If Twitter started off as a publisher for specifically leftist ideals or opinions as they are now, I've got less of a problem with that. But they didn't, they made their money and their name on being a place where everyone comes to spout off and a lot of folks got ads and revenues from that. But after Twitter made it, they can't just defame half of their users claiming the opinions they had up until now are banned, and these users shouldn't be granted any ad revenues and blacklisted. Twitter should be liable for that.

Here's a analogous example: Wal-Mart hires an ex con, and after years of work that makes them a bigger company one day Wal-Mart says, 'yeh we don't hire ex cons, sorry, so we're essentially letting you go (maybe you can still come in to work, we just aren't gonna let you get paid for it). And by the way, since we have a large bulletin board, we're putting it out there for everyone's future reference that no one should hire you either because you're an ex con. '

That's bullshit. Twitter should be liable for all of it, since they been shown from the hack to actively censure certain groups, users, ideas and material. Which means any child porn that "just got thru", didn't just get thru...

They're liable.. And after everyone gets a piece of that cake, then Twitter can become the leftist paradise of simpleton ideas that's it's so desired.

But most of the recent legislation SOPA/PIPA/COPA etc that's been pushed and either failed or was passed has Done a lot to erode section 230 and freedom on the internet. My guess is after the cabinet is installed in November, there Will be a lot more restrictions coming, such as net neutrality, encryption laws, and likely rewards for the companies who've been loyal to the cause; the pandemic/climate/social justice cause.