Fight back against Big Tech

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Fight back against Big Tech
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As Twitter blew up with the news of Donald Trump’s termination from the app on Jan. 8, users celebrated while calling for the purging of Republicans on social media and throughout the country. This response led me, a young Republican, to feel helpless and alone. 

Where were my fellow patriots and how would we fight this wave of anger? 

President Joe Biden allegedly received 81 million votes in the 2020 election, more than any presidential candidate in American history. So, he shouldn’t have to censor the opinions of those who oppose him to secure his spot and power. It shouldn’t matter. 

It is obvious that the purge of right-wing views is wrong. I don’t need to tell you that. 

But Republicans can’t sit back and let it happen. We must resist the silencing and take a stand. 

Since the banning of Trump from Twitter — while he was still the president — numerous platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest restricted him in some way. Even Spotify suspended the former president. 

Perhaps Spotify leaders think he is going to listen to “Eye of the Tiger” and get too fired up.

But now Big Tech and the liberal elitists are after you and me — everyday conservatives with opinions we’d like to share. USA Today reported that conservatives on Twitter have lost thousands of followers, while Biden and his posse have gained many followers. Other users are being banned for voicing their opinion, and accused of using rhetoric that points toward violence or resistance. 

Undermining Big Tech begins with investing in the right people grounded in Juedo-Christian values. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 currently protects private social media companies like Facebook and Twitter from liability for what their users post. However, it also allows them to remove whatever speech they want from the platform. While taking out Section 230 as a whole is more complicated, it definitely needs to be revised. Conservatives may come down on different sides in the debates about antitrust lawsuits and the liability exemptions of Section 230, but they should welcome the debate, if only to remind technology companies that they don’t get to make their own rules. 

As just one of the millions of citizens in the U.S., it’s easy to believe that there is not much one can do to change this lockdown of conservative views. The fear of those in power paralyzes Americans. 

Those in charge want exactly that. They want all those who disagree with them to feel helpless and isolated. Because of this, when politics are brought up in an everyday conversation, we banter and make small talk. We seem to tiptoe around what we actually believe. 

Suppression is not what Americans stand for. Silence is unAmerican. Republicans of all sizes and importance must say no to this purge of their opinions. Because this is just the beginning, and if they don’t, freedom as we know it will cease to exist. 

Republicans need to get loud. They should support their ideals in any peaceful way possible. Likes, retweets, and reposting stories are a simple way to show Big Tech no matter how big they are, the American people are bigger. 

We sit quietly and allow people to assume what our political opinions are. We must challenge each other to think and debate. No one wants to hear about the person who sat back and let it happen, who followed the crowd and followed the rules.

When someone tells you that the fate of our country and the censorship problem is out of our control, they are lying to you. The people who believe that is true do not care enough to make a difference, and thus do not deserve this country. 

You are not helpless. The country needs you. Fight back. 

 

Reagan Gensiejewski is a junior studying rhetoric and public address. She is an assistant editor for the Collegian.