A conundrum of interests
In a most unprecedented move, social media giants –Twitter, permanently suspended the account of former American President Donald J. Trump, following allegations that he had made inciting comments which led to violent protests at the American Capitol building and its eventual occupation by protesters. Twitter’s action, has further fuelled ongoing conversations that social media platforms and indeed their CEOs, have become too powerful in their ability to shape public opinion in matters of politics, economy and other core facets of societal living.
This article is essentially a teaser. On the contrary, it seeks to establish that the arbitrary censorship of social media would reduce several democratic polities to pseudo dictatorships. In sharp contrast, it also beams a light on the several ills (for example increased hate speech, enhanced dictatorial tendencies of social media platform owners etcetera.) that befall society when social media is left unchecked. It concludes by opening a conversation on the plausible implementable solutions that can help achieve an equilibrium amongst the several actors in social media regulation.
Onyinye Chikwendu – Ikechebelu
Echoga Caleb