cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/13312183

Journalist Matt Taibbi weighs in on free speech being on the balance in the Supreme Court.

Edit:

• fixed format error with summary
• fixed misspelled name on point 2 of summary

Short Summary

1. During a Supreme Court oral argument for the case of [Murthy] v. Missouri, the issue of whether the First Amendment restricts the government from censoring speech was discussed.
2. Liberal Justice [Ketanji] Brown Jackson expressed concerns that the First Amendment limits government actions during critical times and questioned what actions the government should take to protect citizens.
3. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito raised concerns about government officials controlling media content and mentioned Section 230 and antitrust laws.
4. Journalist Matt [Taibbi] discussed the case and highlighted the importance of the First Amendment in preventing the government from suppressing dissenting opinions.
5. The discussion also touched on the pressure the government exerted on social media companies to censor content, referencing the National Rifle Association case and the government’s direct coercion tactics.
6. The case involves the Biden Administration’s efforts to pressure social media companies to remove content deemed false.
7. Various instances were discussed where government officials, including the White House Press Secretary and the Surgeon General, called for regulatory measures in response to misinformation.
8. The conversation also mentioned using Section 230 to hold companies accountable and described internal correspondence at Twitter regarding regulatory changes.
9. The government’s public threats towards companies are seen as a strong message to both companies and the public.
10. The speaker emphasizes the difference between public pressure and regulatory threats, highlighting the inappropriate nature of private threats coupled with requests.