We are on our own 'Reddit' right now. While yes, Reddit is still the much larger website and we may not like it, it is however important to make sure we point our finger in the right direction. Private websites having control of their platform is not it.
Your argument falls apart when not only are these not-so-private companies engaging political manipulation and election interference, but they're also engaging in antitrust violations with ZERO recourse.
Again, it's the Lolbertarian approach as if there's an even playing field or as if the enemy is respecting the rules. This is why the West is losing its culture.
I'm completely against companies using governments to strong arm their way out of having to compete. My proposed solution is to make it so governments do not have the authority / ability to offer anything to companies. Governments should stay out of the economy. Still, private (actually private) companies should have the option to run their websites however way they see fit.
We are on our own 'Reddit' right now. While yes, Reddit is still the much larger website and we may not like it, it is however important to make sure we point our finger in the right direction. Private websites having control of their platform is not it.
That's true.
This is not.
Google takes government contracts, meaning taxpayer dollars, meaning it's no longer the "private company can do whatever they want."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2020/12/22/google-promised-not-to-use-its-ai-in-weapons-so-why-is-alphabet-investing-in-ai-satellite-startups-with-military-contracts/?sh=737e56f27595
Yet somehow they're bigger and have more information control than any nation on the face of the planet.
Google also engaged in election meddling by refusing to allow some candidates to advertise or run certain ads: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/300-trump-ads-taken-down-by-google-youtube-60-minutes-2019-12-01/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/04/technology/google-tulsi-gabbard-lawsuit.html
So not only are they using taxpayer dollars, but now they're violating election laws right in the open: https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/949/equal-time-rule
When did private corporations get carte blanche to break the law? Influence elections and dictate commerce above board?
Worse yet is that companies like Facebook also have government contracts, which means they're still using taxpayer dollars while stifling speech and engaging in social engineering tactics: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/thousands-contracts-highlight-quiet-ties-between-big-tech-u-s-n1233171
Your argument falls apart when not only are these not-so-private companies engaging political manipulation and election interference, but they're also engaging in antitrust violations with ZERO recourse.
Again, it's the Lolbertarian approach as if there's an even playing field or as if the enemy is respecting the rules. This is why the West is losing its culture.
I'm completely against companies using governments to strong arm their way out of having to compete. My proposed solution is to make it so governments do not have the authority / ability to offer anything to companies. Governments should stay out of the economy. Still, private (actually private) companies should have the option to run their websites however way they see fit.