Professor Mark Grabowski, who specializes in cyber law and ethics, was recently cited in several news stories on free speech controversies involving social media platforms.
In a May 21 story and May 26 story, he discussed the erosion of free speech on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. “It’s becoming like Chinese-style censorship where dissident viewpoints and even certain words and phrases are forbidden," Grabowski told Epoch Times, a daily international newspaper with a circulation over 1 million. "And, while such censorship doesn’t violate the First Amendment, it isn’t keeping with the spirit of freedom of speech.”
In a May 27 story, he discussed Twitter's decision to fact-check President Trump's tweets. “I don’t want to see misinformation on social media but … how will Twitter ensure fairness and consistency?” Grabowski told Epoch Times. “Will this new policy apply to other politicians? Which ones? Will all tweets be fact-checked or just some? Who will determine the veracity of a tweet? Twitter has opened itself up for major headaches.”
Finally, in a June 3 story, he explained the impact of Trump's executive order stripping social media sites of legal protections provided by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
"Trump’s executive order to end Section 230 protections doesn’t have any immediate effect,” Grabowski told financial news site Stash. “The Federal Communications Commission, which promulgates rules for the Telecommunications Act, must decide whether and how to implement Trump’s order in a way that’s compatible with the law. There is, perhaps, enough ambiguity and wiggle room in the law’s requirement that platforms act ‘in good faith’ that the FCC could make some changes to appease Trump.”
However, he added that the FCC appeared unlikely to make any changes and that doing so could jeopardize social media. “Without 230, the Internet we have today wouldn’t exist,” he said.
In a May 21 story and May 26 story, he discussed the erosion of free speech on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. “It’s becoming like Chinese-style censorship where dissident viewpoints and even certain words and phrases are forbidden," Grabowski told Epoch Times, a daily international newspaper with a circulation over 1 million. "And, while such censorship doesn’t violate the First Amendment, it isn’t keeping with the spirit of freedom of speech.”
In a May 27 story, he discussed Twitter's decision to fact-check President Trump's tweets. “I don’t want to see misinformation on social media but … how will Twitter ensure fairness and consistency?” Grabowski told Epoch Times. “Will this new policy apply to other politicians? Which ones? Will all tweets be fact-checked or just some? Who will determine the veracity of a tweet? Twitter has opened itself up for major headaches.”
Finally, in a June 3 story, he explained the impact of Trump's executive order stripping social media sites of legal protections provided by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
"Trump’s executive order to end Section 230 protections doesn’t have any immediate effect,” Grabowski told financial news site Stash. “The Federal Communications Commission, which promulgates rules for the Telecommunications Act, must decide whether and how to implement Trump’s order in a way that’s compatible with the law. There is, perhaps, enough ambiguity and wiggle room in the law’s requirement that platforms act ‘in good faith’ that the FCC could make some changes to appease Trump.”
However, he added that the FCC appeared unlikely to make any changes and that doing so could jeopardize social media. “Without 230, the Internet we have today wouldn’t exist,” he said.
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