Libertarian types are chomping at the bit to accuse Facebook, Twitter, et al, of violating free speech rights. The problem is, if these are private companies run by private individuals, then their “censorship” is not a free speech rights violation. QED. But there may just be a way in here: intellectual property. These companies zealously guard their trademarks and patents, and use government intellectual property laws to do so. Because these companies use government laws to protect themselves from competition by violating everyone else’s property rights, can it not be said that they are not entirely private companies, that their market share is monopolized to some degree by government fiat? And if so, then their censorship would be a violation of free speech rights due to their intentional use of government force, would it not? And that’s today’s two cents.
On Free Speech
