In a refreshing moment for the idea of free speech, a Democratic lawmaker is shooting down the idea Twitter owner Elon Musk should have to answer to Congress over his management of the platform.
Amid the controversy involving Twitter’s decision to suspend several journalists, Jason Kint, the head of Digital Content Next which is a trade association representing digital media companies, tweeted on Thursday, “I don’t know what happened here but if [Musk] doesn’t fix this within the hour with an explanation by morning, I’ll be on Capitol Hill tomorrow demanding that he be hauled in front of Congress.”
I don’t know what happened here but if @elonmusk doesn’t fix this within the hour with an explanation by morning, I’ll be on Capitol Hill tomorrow demanding that he be hauled in front of Congress. pic.twitter.com/8oTmLkbdzZ
— Jason Kint (@jason_kint) December 16, 2022
However, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) poured cold water on the idea.
“No.[Musk] way overpaid for Twitter and he can basically do whatever he wants with it,” he responded. “The First Amendment prevents Congress from regulating speech on Twitter, a private business. It is not Government’s role to tell Twitter who to ban, who to suspend or who to promote.”
One user suggested there is “nothing to stop the government from nationalizing a vital public good as a necessary form of mass constituent communication to protect it from intentional harm. That’s actually national security.”
However, the California Democrat asked, “Would you have wanted the Trump Administration to decide what you can and cannot see on Twitter?”
Would you have wanted the Trump Administration to decide what you can and cannot see on Twitter?
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) December 16, 2022
Earlier this week, he defended Musk’s ability to “choose to promote cute cat videos over boring Jim Jordan tweets, or not.”
“He can amplify COVID deniers, or not. The Constitution prevents government from regulating speech on Twitter,” he added.
No, we can’t. We are a free country. @elonmusk can post smart things or stupid things. He can choose to promote cute cat videos over boring Jim Jordan tweets, or not. He can amplify COVID deniers, or not. The Constitution prevents government from regulating speech on Twitter. https://t.co/phIot7IMl2
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) December 11, 2022
Perhaps Lieu’s comments should not be too much of a surprise. It is hard to see on what grounds Congress would be able to legislate how a privately owned company moderates content shared on its platform, or who can be on the platform.
Still, that has not stopped Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) from warning Twitter will “pay a price if they do not put safeguards in place” to prevent users from imitating public figures or companies.
It’s easy for liberals to want regulation for Twitter now that its owner is making changes they do not like.
But Lieu deserves some credit for consistently noting Congress cannot regulate speech on Twitter. And even if it did, Republicans could use that power in ways liberals would not like.