Kerby Anderson

We all know examples of Big Tech censorship, but most Americans seem unconcerned with the impact this is having on free speech and our society. Earlier this month, Donald Trump announced he was suing Big Tech. The announcement was greeted with either comments like “he deserved it” or else a resignation that this was inevitable. Christian author Eric Metaxas had his radio program thrown off YouTube for what was called “content restrictions.” As one commentator noted, this action was ignored by many even in the Christian community and hardly considered newsworthy. Have we become so jaded by Big Tech censorship? You may not like the former president or read any of the best-selling books by a Christian author. But you should at least be concerned that what has been done to such prominent people can also be done to you. As former president Trump said in his op-ed: “If Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube can censor me, they can censor you—and believe me, they are.” He mentions a Michigan school teacher who was banned from Facebook for sharing an article questioning mandatory masks for young children. When her brother went missing, she was unable to use that social media to get the word out. A Colorado physician was de-platformed by YouTube for making a video explaining how her church could hold services safely. I realize that it is unlikely that the former president’s lawsuit will go very far in the court system. I also understand that these companies are private entities and not subject to First Amendment concerns. Moreover, many Democratic members of Congress would even like Big Tech to go further in censoring their political opponents. Very little change will likely take place in the near future, but that doesn’t mean we have to ignore the unfairness of Big Tech censorship.