With Facebook quickly becoming one of the most visited sites in the entire web, right behind Google, it is expected that there may be some controversy around it. For a while, there have been a lot of complaints about Facebook and it violating privacy issues, like sharing information on one's profile to companies wishing to advertise. But there has recently been a new issue lately that Facebook has to deal with, and that's Freedom of Speech.
A new user introduced to Facebook is met with a Terms Of Service, which indicates that anything violent, harmful, pornographic, or illegal will be taken down, and only if it falls in any of those categories. But a lot of countries are having to block Facebook because, assuming that it does not fall into any of those categories, people can post whatever they want, even if that means an opinion bashing another country or religion, since it is a "public image." These countries do not like that Facebook is allowing some of these messages to be posted. But most importantly, many people, countries, and organizations do not like how Facebook is making final calls on Freedom Of Speech.
It is kind of a tricky issue for me on this one, for which side I agree with. On one hand, people should be respectful of what they post, but on the other, this is an American-based website, so people should be allowed to say whatever they please, as long as it does not violate the terms of service. I know that people calling Facebook "an arbiter of Freedom of Speech" only enhances their superpower image, they were doing that before when people were spending hours a day on this site. With it being Facebook's site, I think they should hold the disgretion as to what is posted, and if someone does not like it, then they can simply delete their account.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteThis topic is obviously controversial and will be for years to come. When talking about Freedom of Speech on the internet it seems like a rather difficult topic because not everyone using the internet that has access to these websites have the same rights as other. Although the United States does not censor the internet too much, due to the first Amendment, other country, like China, can censor it. I don't really see an issue with certain countries censoring certain things, especially if it is legal in that particular country. You also made a good point that these comments still must follow the terms of service when using the website.