Cyber Law

Writing Assignment on the First Amendment

1. For me when it comes to gathering information online you really have to look at your sources because not everything on the internet is what it seems. For me I enjoy hunting, fishing, and riding dirt bikes so when it comes to doing research whether I am looking for gear or learning new things about my hobby, I need to get insight from multiple sources because everything today is a marketing scheme. I also feel the same way about the news media because the information needs to sell which is why I do not watch the news anymore. Sources I can trust when it comes to hunting regulations are strictly the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Because with hunting regulations it is better to read the regulations with the law instead of listening to your friends on what is legal or not
2. Speech on social media directly tied to violence—for example, terrorism—may be regulated by government, but more expansive efforts are likely unconstitutional (Samples, 2019). Preventing harms caused by “fake news” or “hate speech” lies well beyond the jurisdiction of the government; tech firms appear determined to deal with such harms, leaving little for the government to do (Samples, 2019). When discussing this topic, I like to think back to the video from Nadine Strossen “Why Social Media Shouldn’t Censor Hate Speech” when she made the comment “would we rather trust ourselves and our fellow citizens to ignore and rebut messages that are hateful or would we rather trust either government officials or powerful corporate entities to take those decisions away from us?” I think that it is best that government state/local and federal stay out of governing social media, unless there has been state or federal law broken and was uploaded to platform for viewers to see.
3. When it comes to what the private sector can remove or restrict content, “Social media platforms are private companies and are not bound by the First Amendment. In fact, they have their own First Amendment rights. This means they can moderate the content people post on their websites without violating those users’ First Amendment rights. It also means that the government cannot tell social media sites how to moderate content. Many state laws to regulate how social media companies can moderate content have failed on First Amendment grounds.” (Nott, L. 2023). “We prohibit spreading false information that causes harm or is malicious, such as denying the existence of tragic events, unsubstantiated medical claims, undermining the integrity of civic processes, or manipulating content for false or misleading purposes (whether through generative AI or through deceptive editing). We prohibit pretending to be someone (or something) that you’re not, or attempting to deceive people about who you are. This includes impersonating your friends, celebrities, public figures, brands, or other people or organizations for harmful, non-satirical purposes.” (Nott, L. 2023). Which I believe is very important because the act of catfishing or the impersonation of someone else is wrong and you should be banned from the social media site.
4. I found an article written by thefire.org about how SFSU students shout down Riley Gaines and accost her after the event. Protesters at San Francisco State University attempted to shout down and shut down a speaking event with former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines (Conza & Nordstorm, 2023). Gaines was invited to speak through the school’s Turning Point USA chapter had invited Gaines to campus to talk about gender and sports but was met by an angry crowd chanting and screaming at her to leave (Conza & Nordstorm, 2023). After her speech, police attempted to escort Gaines to a secure location, but the crowd followed them out of the room and down the hallway, screaming
   and shouting until police locked Gaines in a secure room. Gaines reportedly remained trapped inside the room for almost three hours until the protestors dispersed and police escorted her out (Conza & Nordstorm, 2023). Although I do believe that students have the protected right under the First Amendment to protest and speak out against anyone who is coming to speak on their campus, but I do believe that it was appropriate to or apart of their First Amendment right to force Gaines to be locked in a secure room and guarded by police for three hours.
5. I believe the internet and technological developments strengthen public discourse and democratic processes. For the simple reason of being able to do your own research from multiple sources to come up with your own educated opinion, similar to when I was talking about research to learn more about hobbies and avoiding marketing schemes.

References
Conza, S., & Nordstorm, A. (2023, April 7). Outrageous: SFSU students shout down Riley
Gaines and accost her after event. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
https://www.thefire.org/news/outrageous-sfsu-students-shout-down-riley-gaines-and-
accost-her-after-event
Nott, L. (2023, October 30). Free speech on Social Media: The Complete Guide. Freedom
Forum. https://www.freedomforum.org/free-speech-on-social-media/
Samples, J. (n.d.). Why the Government Should Not Regulate Content Moderation of Social
Media. Cato.org. https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/why-government-should-not-
regulate-content-moderation-social-media