Today's heated debates over censorship on tech platforms are fueled by confusion over the purpose of the freedom of speech. This confusion was on full display last week when Google and Facebook executives testified last week before the U.S. House of Representatives.
Executives of both companies claim to support freedom of expression. A Facebookrepresentative noted that the company is in favor of “expression” and strives to give people a “voice,” while making users feel safe to express that voice. Similarly, Google's representative said the company has a “deep commitment to free expression.” Both companies explicitly ban so-called “hate speech” because it prevents users from fully expressing themselves.
But puzzling as it may sound, it is possible to support freedom of expression while also being hostile to freedom of speech. In fact, the freedom of expression, as understood today, is in conflict with the original purpose of freedom of speech.
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