"Private sector actors are directly bound by constitutional norms, including the First Amendment" if they are being coerced by or colluding with the government
Even when Big Tech isn't actually colluding with government, the state is involved in two ways: 1) if the platform is owned by a corporation, it has the privilege of operating only because the government has issued it a charter, which could be revoked on the grounds that it isn't serving the public interest; and 2) even if it's not incorporated, it can only exercise this power of censorship because the state is enforcing its private ownership of the means of public communication. It's this ultimate backing by state violence that makes Capital itself tyrannical, even where government isn't directly involved. Democratic values can best be enforced by nationalizing these platforms so that the First Amendment applies to them automatically.
An interesting and thoughtful discussion. Thank you, Sam and Nadine. Watched and listened while working in the kitchen. Then sat down and read it all. Appreciate all the opportunities for education brought to us by brilliant thinkers like yourselves and the technology that comes right to our home.
Appreciate using vimeo vs. other platforms. Thank you!
Agree with Eric Hamell: "Democratic values can best be enforced by nationalizing these platforms so that the First Amendment applies to them automatically." <-- seems obvious and straight forward.
However... it also seems like the competing interests of those Big entities who simply want to control all of us and each other naturally swallow up any 'democracy' (of, by and for The People). And there we are.
Will we ever be able to get back our First Amendment (or any other) rights? We've been lost in the entwining entanglements...
Even when Big Tech isn't actually colluding with government, the state is involved in two ways: 1) if the platform is owned by a corporation, it has the privilege of operating only because the government has issued it a charter, which could be revoked on the grounds that it isn't serving the public interest; and 2) even if it's not incorporated, it can only exercise this power of censorship because the state is enforcing its private ownership of the means of public communication. It's this ultimate backing by state violence that makes Capital itself tyrannical, even where government isn't directly involved. Democratic values can best be enforced by nationalizing these platforms so that the First Amendment applies to them automatically.
An interesting and thoughtful discussion. Thank you, Sam and Nadine. Watched and listened while working in the kitchen. Then sat down and read it all. Appreciate all the opportunities for education brought to us by brilliant thinkers like yourselves and the technology that comes right to our home.
Appreciate using vimeo vs. other platforms. Thank you!
Agree with Eric Hamell: "Democratic values can best be enforced by nationalizing these platforms so that the First Amendment applies to them automatically." <-- seems obvious and straight forward.
However... it also seems like the competing interests of those Big entities who simply want to control all of us and each other naturally swallow up any 'democracy' (of, by and for The People). And there we are.
Will we ever be able to get back our First Amendment (or any other) rights? We've been lost in the entwining entanglements...