Thread by @NicoPerrino

In the debate surrounding Twitter under @elonmusk, the distinction between free speech as a legal right and cultural value can get confused.

What is #freespeech culture?

thefire.org/news/free-spee…

Free speech culture is a set of norms that support free thought and our ability to share our opinions.

These are norms that see value in curiosity, dissent, devil’s advocacy, thought experimentation, and talking across lines of difference.

In a healthy free speech culture, our first instincts wouldn't be to find ways to censor speech we dislike — or cancel the speaker — but to meet it w/ more speech.

These are norms that can be advanced at all levels of society, from the average citizen 2 the largest corporation.

The idea is that we cannot reap the benefits of the First Amendment’s protection for free speech in a society where citizens are legally able to speak freely but few of them do so.

Even still, culture by its nature is hard to define and assess. And what adds or detracts from a culture of free speech will be a constant debate — even within @TheFIREorg.

So Musk and Twitter ...

Does @PressSec's statements from earlier this week threaten free speech culture?

It’s not always clear when government statements signal voluntary requests as opposed to veiled threats that raise First Amendment concerns.

https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1597334354602217478

It can be hard to find a smoking gun.

Nevertheless, when the government is jawboning— even legally — it can feel like an “or else” is on the other side of it, and the chill Twitter might feel would be reasonable.

What about Musk's short-lived spat with Apple, a private company?

The App Store functions in a duopoly environment (along with Google Play) and is essential for any social media company’s successful operation.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1597300125243944961

“They say that they are going to continue to moderate,” @tim_cook previously said of Twitter under Musk. “I’m counting on them to continue to do that.”

cbsnews.com/video/apple-ce…

But what if they don’t? What if down the road Apple decides to effectively torpedo Twitter’s business because it doesn’t like what legal speech it allows on its platform?

It’s hard to argue that such monopolistic gatekeeping wouldn’t threaten a culture of free speech.

The most valuable company in the world becomes the same Big Brother it once rebelled against — watch what you say (or allow others to say)!

Beware of “think different.”

There's much to say re: free speech culture/Musk/Twitter, including Musk's inconsistency on the issues & the media's coverage of free speech in general.

But I don't want to copy the full 2,000 word analysis here, so you'll have to click 👇 to get it:

thefire.org/news/free-spee…