Over the past year, big tech companies, such as Google, Facebook, Apple, and others have faced backlash. Conservatives and other right-wing users of social media claim that Silicon Valley companies and platforms purposefully censor views which do not align with their own.
Reports of Censorship Against Conservatives
In 2018 alone, Twitter has faced multiple reports of intentionally deleting and shadowbanning the accounts of right-leaning users. Additional reports have followed, accusing Silicon Valley companies of partnering with liberal activist groups for the sake of silencing conservative online opinions. The reports also stated that the ultimate goal of conservative censorship is to defeat President Trump.
Speaking of President Trump, he too has spoken out against Silicon Valley’s perceived bias against conservatives. Earlier this year, Trump accused the companies of being “super liberal” and openly in favor of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election.
The mounting reports of Silicon Valley’s censorship against conservatives has sparked new debates. Some Americans question whether or not silencing or shadowbanning certain ideologies conflicts with First Amendment rights. Others maintain that private companies have the right to boot users from their platforms.
