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After several years of social media platforms attempting to limit or censor online speech, it finally looks like there are signs of a pushback in the halls of government. In Pennsylvania, for example, a new House of Representatives bill will attempt to limit “unfair censorship” on social media. If this new bill passes, it could be the beginning of a new era for social media.
Two steps to limit censorship
The new Pennsylvania bill will focus on two key problems. One, of course, is the increasing proclivity of social media platforms to clamp down on voices, opinions, or narratives. In some cases, this can result in social media companies de-platforming users, or making it impossible for them to monetize their content.
The other problem is the ability of the government itself to use its power to silence certain topics or ideas on social media. While the bill won’t have an impact on what’s going on in the nation’s capital, it could be used to stop Pennsylvania lawmakers from meddling on social media if they don’t like what’s being said online.
Is there a political angle here?
While the new Pennsylvania bill is focused on a topic we can all agree on – censorship, it’s hard not to ignore the potential political angle here. After all, the bill is being sponsored by Republican lawmakers, and it has typically been Republican voices that have been silenced on social media.
Look no further than the example of former President Donald Trump, who has been kicked off several influential social media platforms. Under the terms of the new Pennsylvania bill, it would have been a lot harder to accomplish this. The whole point of the new bill is to stop this type of de-platforming and censorship.
That’s why passage of this bill could mark the start of a new era for social media. Taking a big picture view of things, it could mean the return of a much more free-flowing internet, and a much wider sharing of unconventional narratives and opinions. In theory, this should make the internet a much more vibrant place.
Why now?
According to the sponsors of the bill, terms like “hate speech” and “misinformation” are simply too subjective, and can be weaponized easily. By painting your political opponent as a purveyor of misinformation, you can effectively silence him or her. And if you can get people talking about “hate speech,” you can potentially de–platform this person. This has been the case, over and over again, over the past few years.
So, in many ways, this proposed new legislation is yet another sign of the times. Social media has gone far beyond being just a neutral meeting place to hear and share new ideas. It has become a tool, and some might argue, a blunt weapon, for changing the terms of debate online. It almost seems like there is one overarching narrative, and everything that doesn’t fit that narrative must be silenced.
The good news is that the new Pennsylvania bill has plenty of safeguards in place to guarantee that the government can still do its job effectively. Censoring and policing social media is something that the government was never intended to do, so it will free up lawmakers to do what they do best. At the end of the day, it’s heartening to see that Pennsylvania lawmakers are doing their best to protect users and journalists from unfair censorship.
