Brazil’s Supreme Court clears way to hold social media companies liable for user content
Associated PressJUN 26
Brazilian Court Rules Social Media Firms Liable for User Content
Above: Alexandre de Moraes, justice of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court, in Brazil on April 17, 2024. Image copyright: Ton Molina/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Social media's unchecked power has already fueled insurrections, genocides, and democratic decay worldwide. These platforms wield unprecedented influence over billions while operating in a regulatory vacuum, spreading misinformation and inciting violence with impunity. Like aviation safety standards, urgent government oversight isn't censorship, it's essential protection for democracy, human rights, and public safety in our interconnected world.
Right narrative
Government regulation of social media betrays the sacred principle of free expression that underpins democracy itself. When bureaucrats decide what constitutes truth or harm, they inevitably silence dissenting voices and minority perspectives. This dangerous precedent transforms platforms from open forums into state-controlled propaganda tools, crushing the very marketplace of ideas that allows democratic societies to flourish and evolve.