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You're not entitled to free speech in social media.
Those platforms are owned by someone.
The OP did not ask about free speech, he asked if users can sue the platform for what gets posted on it. At least that is how I read the OP.
The answer is 'maybe' someone can sue. If someone's reputation is harmed and the platform aided in that knowing that harm was being committed, there is possible grounds for a suit. I think it would be hard to prove that though. But there have been cases of cyber-bullying brought to court. I believe Infowars was sued, successfully, in this manner.
Can a so called social platform be sued for impeding on free speech. Speech that is not illegal by American Standards. Do you ever feel like others can say hurtful things and get away with it always while those who support America are always having their speech clipped. For example. If a person thinks that full term abortion is wrong. Can we say that on a social platform? If one is harrassed because he thinks that abortion after birth is bad can he sue the platform? If a teenageer goes on to a social platform like Twitter and says that he supports President Trump and he gets bullied and harassed and threatened. Can he sue the platform?
If a platform has protected status then maybe there is something wrong with that if they cannot be fair to all.
LOL.
Sheer volume of posts by Trumpers crying that they are being treated unfairly...
Remember OP people like you were thrilled to hear Hobby Lobby could refuse service....
Seriously you guys really need to stop and think before pushing for these types of rulings. time and again they will come back to bite you in the BUTT.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alan west
Can a so called social platform be sued for impeding on free speech. Speech that is not illegal by American Standards. Do you ever feel like others can say hurtful things and get away with it always while those who support America are always having their speech clipped. For example. If a person thinks that full term abortion is wrong. Can we say that on a social platform? If one is harrassed because he thinks that abortion after birth is bad can he sue the platform? If a teenageer goes on to a social platform like Twitter and says that he supports President Trump and he gets bullied and harassed and threatened. Can he sue the platform?
If a platform has protected status then maybe there is something wrong with that if they cannot be fair to all.
Nope. A business can't be sued for impending on employee's free speech, even if it's not illegal by governmental standards. Whether you love or hate America is irrelevant. BTW, a social platform is owned by private businesses or individuals, not public ones. The TOS is an implicit contract for people who post on the site. "Bullied and harassed and threatened" - only in specific circumstances (i.e. highly threatening or abusive cases, especially if they dox him or her or release highly embarrassing information or caricatures about him or her that could qualify for harassment. See state cyberbullying laws for details).
Can a so called social platform be sued for impeding on free speech. Speech that is not illegal by American Standards. Do you ever feel like others can say hurtful things and get away with it always while those who support America are always having their speech clipped. For example. If a person thinks that full term abortion is wrong. Can we say that on a social platform? If one is harrassed because he thinks that abortion after birth is bad can he sue the platform? If a teenageer goes on to a social platform like Twitter and says that he supports President Trump and he gets bullied and harassed and threatened. Can he sue the platform?
If a platform has protected status then maybe there is something wrong with that if they cannot be fair to all.
The platform is responsible for what is posted on it, and therefore has a duty to take off anything that breaks the law.
In terms of personal opinions regarding abortion, it's not unlawful to have a view as long as you exporess it sensible and without seeking to cause distress to others via posting horrible images or any other such behaviour.
If you are harrassed or threatened on social media, then that is a police matter in most countries incluiding the US.
In terms of the platform providing it's adhered to the law and it's own regulations then I don't think legal action would be very successful.
I do not that there are some on-going cases, indeed British activist Tommy Robinson was banned from facebook the other day over comments he made, and now has revealed plans to sue facebook.
Nope. A business can't be sued for impending on employee's free speech, even if it's not illegal by governmental standards. Whether you love or hate America is irrelevant. BTW, a social platform is owned by private businesses or individuals, not public ones. The TOS is an implicit contract for people who post on the site. "Bullied and harassed and threatened" - only in specific circumstances (i.e. highly threatening or abusive cases, especially if they dox him or her or release highly embarrassing information or caricatures about him or her that could qualify for harassment. See state cyberbullying laws for details).
Isnt a company considered 'public' if they are on the stock market though?
It's hard having a productive debate with people who have no idea what they're talking about in the first place yet hold strong convictions none the less.
The OP did not ask about free speech, he asked if users can sue the platform for what gets posted on it. At least that is how I read the OP.
The answer is 'maybe' someone can sue. If someone's reputation is harmed and the platform aided in that knowing that harm was being committed, there is possible grounds for a suit. I think it would be hard to prove that though. But there have been cases of cyber-bullying brought to court. I believe Infowars was sued, successfully, in this manner.
Anyone can sue anyone over anything.
The question is whether such a suit is likely to be successful.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rstevens62
Isnt a company considered 'public' if they are on the stock market though?
This is a flaw in logic called equivocation - the same term is used to mean two different things. In this case, equivocating on the word public. There's public in the government sense (tax supported, by using funds from all taxpayers), which is obviously what I mean here. Then there's public in the sense of "anyone can buy if they have the funds" sense, which is the sense you're using the word.
A publicly traded company, one where anyone in the public can buy stock in a privately owned company (in the sense that shareholders own the company, and thus get to make company policy). They are not obligated to have freedom of speech within the workplace, except to the extent the government prohibits penalizing against complaints about whistleblowing, harassment, discrimination, workplace safety, and such. That is an entirely different matter from "public" in the governmental sense.
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