I'd suggest we protect freedom of speech similar to how we protect civil rights.
Before civil rights, "private businesses" used the same exact excuse as big tech while refusing customers based on race.
In the current setup, big tech thrives risk-free via governmental protections separating them from their customers (or what their customers post on the platform). The underlying concept of social media has become a public utility, and should be protected as such. Once big tech began altering visibility of posts based on politics (in any way/shape/form), they crossed the Rubicon.
Before civil rights, "private businesses" used the same exact excuse as big tech while refusing customers based on race.
In the current setup, big tech thrives risk-free via governmental protections separating them from their customers (or what their customers post on the platform). The underlying concept of social media has become a public utility, and should be protected as such. Once big tech began altering visibility of posts based on politics (in any way/shape/form), they crossed the Rubicon.