Trump/Zuckerberg/Dorsey: Who is really more powerful?

Disclaimer: I am no fan of anything remotely to do with Donald Trump. I find him, his style, his morals…repugnant.

However, does that mean that I should be able to, or am entitled to silence the elected President of the United States of America? Does Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) or Jack Dorsey (Twitter) have that right? Because, that’s what they’ve done.

The issue of Facebook, Twitter etc. blocking Trump from using their platforms is troublesome. I can see both sides and I don’t know where my conclusion falls.

From both sides

Firstly, Facebook and Twitter are not government platforms – they belong to their shareholders and, as such, if you use these platforms, you play by their rules.

Equally, I understand that Facebook (et al) also must play by the rules of good corporate citizenship and that their rules are geared towards fulfilling that obligation both morally and legally. What’s more, no one is compelled to use these platforms, it’s not obligatory…or is it?

These sites have gained popularity, in part, because they’ve given almost everyone a platform to reach potentially billions of people directly – without the curating of mainstream media.

They’ve given us a direct communication platform (with rules) of which we can (easily) take advantage…or not. By using these social-media platforms we are no longer at the mercy of what some media magnate may find newsworthy or important – and that’s good…isn’t it?

Well…yes and no.

When popularity creates its own monopoly

The problem comes when the medium becomes so popular that it is difficult to operate successfully without it. You rely on it, your audience relies on it for their communications with you and you with them.

There must be a time when the popularity of a media platform gains a critical mass where it becomes almost arbitrary to use it – I think Facebook, Twitter (et al) has reached that…and I’m suspecting that this is not a good thing.

Social media platforms are like a drug pusher, they get you addicted, have the means to feed your addiction and also the means to withdraw supply anytime they like for any reason whatsoever – that’s powerful.

The burning questions

In the final analysis, Facebook and Twitter had the legal right to block Trump’s accounts but did they have the moral right? Then again, would they have been morally (or legally) derelict had they not?  

In the case of Donald Trump and in effect, Zuckerberg and Dorsey have arbitrarily knobbled the legally elected president of the free world and Facebook and Twitter have been the judges, the jury and the executioners. Is that proper?

All right! I hear you, I hear you!

Someone should shut the dangerous b**tard up – but it shouldn’t be Zuckerberg or Dorsey…should it?

In my opinion, Trump needs to censured by the people of the USA and their representatives – they have the means to do it – why don’t they? It is not up to corporations dominated by a few men.

The need to abide by rules to which I don’t subscribe is why this website has no links to any media sites owned by someone else. I do not agree to play by their rules. Donald Trump did – to his own detriment. Is it his own fault? I really don’t know.  Do you?