“The Power of Social Media: Understanding the Reddit Blackout and its Impact on Free Speech”

Is Free Speech on Social Media Under Threat?

The Recent Blackout on Reddit

In late June 2020, the social media platform Reddit underwent a “blackout,” with over 2,000 subreddits shutting down for a day in protest of the platform’s supposed lack of action regarding hate speech. Among those on hiatus were some of the most popular subreddits that have helped define Reddit, such as r/Funny and r/Music. With over 430 million active users, Reddit is an immensely powerful online community where users can create and engage with niche communities on any conceivable topic. With great power, unfortunately, comes great responsibility, and that responsibility is often placed on the platform itself.

The Debate around Free Speech

In today’s climate, social media platforms play a huge role in shaping public opinion, and that role has only been increasing. The levels of misinformation and hate speech have also increased, and it is believed that social media plays a critical role in spreading it. In order to combat these negative effects, social media platforms have been implementing policies to counter hate speech, fake news and trolling. However, the actions taken in the name of “cleaning up” the platform have sparked debates around free speech.

While Reddit may be the most recent platform to come under fire, they are not alone. Social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat have all undergone changes to their policy or feature upgrades to combat cyberbullying, fake news, and hate speech.

The Impact on Free Speech

The question then is: does this crackdown impede on free speech? In theory, there is no argument to be made in favour of hate speech. There is no defence for messages of hate, prejudice or exclusion in any form. However, the line between “hate speech” and disagreeable speech has been debated over for years.

One view is that free speech on social media must be protected in all instances in order to ensure the fundamental right to express our opinions. Many believe that controlling people’s speech on social media is not within the rights of the company or government who owns the platform because these platforms are a means of free expression, individual empowerment, and creativity.

Another view is that, although social media has transformed the way we communicate, it has allowed for the abuse of free expression by some groups of people. Specifically, people who have had a history of marginalising or undernourishing a section or sections of society have been given a platform that is unaccountable. Their word is amplified without the recourse of reason or accountability which has been the traditional counter-argument through platitudes such as “a marketplace of ideas”.

Editorial and Advice

In today’s unstable climate, companies must re-examine the policies within which they operate, including the constitutional freedom of expression. The challenge lies in balancing this constitutional right against the fundamental need to protect all members of our society. Hate speech must not be granted a voice where it seeks to silence or dominate others. It is imperative that social media platforms strike a delicate balance between the two.

As a society, we have a responsibility to use social media to uplift and empower each other. More importantly, there’s a responsibility to amplify voices that have been historically and systemically silenced, ensuring that no community feels marginalized. It is equally important that the platforms we use are safe, hence, companies must find a way to maintain the essential nature of free speech whilst protecting users from harm.