Opinion
The Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) has introduced an official request for public feedback on censorship by Huge Tech corporations.
This transfer, underneath new Chairman Andrew Ferguson, alerts a possible crackdown on the unchecked energy of Silicon Valley’s most influential corporations. Individuals can doc cases the place they’ve confronted penalties for partaking in political speech disfavored by tech platforms.
Whereas the FTC’s announcement is a optimistic step towards addressing politically motivated suppression, there’s one obtrusive omission: The Second Modification is, by far, essentially the most censored matter in America’s digital public sq..
For years, gun rights activists, firearm business professionals, and on a regular basis Second Modification supporters have been systematically deplatformed, shadow-banned, and outright erased from on-line areas. Whether or not it’s social media giants like Fb, YouTube, and Instagram or monetary service suppliers denying banking companies to pro-gun companies, the sample is evident—speech associated to the precise to maintain and bear arms is uniquely focused.
A Properly-Documented Historical past of Censorship
The Second Modification group has been on the receiving finish of digital suppression for years. The examples are too quite a few to disregard:
Deplatforming Gun Rights Advocates: Web persona Hank Unusual was de-platformed by Fb with out rationalization or enchantment course of. His case is way from distinctive—different pro-Second Modification voices have been silenced underneath obscure and shifting “group tips.”
Monetary Blacklisting: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration pressured banks and insurance coverage corporations to chop ties with gun-related companies. Main monetary establishments have adopted swimsuit, denying companies to firearm producers and retailers with out trigger.
Shadow-Banning Olympic Athletes: McKenna Geer, a Paralympic shooter, was shadow-banned by Meta for merely posting an image of her air rifle. A world-class athlete coaching to signify her nation was censored merely for collaborating in a authorized and closely regulated sport.
YouTube’s Warfare on Suppressors and Gun Training: YouTube has actively deleted content material associated to authorized firearm suppressors, struck down channels that educate viewers on gun security, and applied restrictions disproportionately affecting pro-gun creators.
3D Printing Hypocrisy: Fb initially banned the sharing of 3D-printed gun recordsdata, even if tutorial firearm-making books have been legally accessible in libraries for many years. The platform partially reversed its stance in 2019, however the harm was carried out—gun-related info had been labeled as too harmful at no cost speech.
Smith & Wesson Censored by Fb: In November 2024, Fb abruptly suspended Smith & Wesson’s web page with 1.6 million followers, claiming violations of its firearm content material insurance policies. The suspension was reversed solely after public outcry and a powerful response from the firearms group. Smith & Wesson took to Elon Musk’s X (previously Twitter) to thank the platform for upholding free speech. The incident underscores a bigger sample of selective enforcement and anti-Second Modification bias throughout main tech corporations.
Regardless of our in depth efforts and assets spent on attempting to stick to Fb’s ever-changing group tips on firearms, our account was suspended indefinitely on Friday, November twenty second, 15 years after its unique creation.
In an period the place free speech and the precise to… pic.twitter.com/cJkIni54kV
— Smith & Wesson Inc. (@Smith_WessonInc) November 27, 2024
Congress Investigates YouTube’s Anti-Gun Bias
The FTC shouldn’t be the one authorities entity scrutinizing Huge Tech’s suppression of gun rights. On June 18, 2024, Home Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) despatched a letter to Alphabet, YouTube’s dad or mum firm, demanding paperwork and communications associated to YouTube’s newest crackdown on firearms-related content material.
Jordan’s letter raises severe considerations about whether or not YouTube’s determination to additional censor gun-related content material was influenced by authorities coercion. The Committee has already obtained proof exhibiting that the federal authorities has pressured Alphabet to censor content material that didn’t violate its personal insurance policies. Additional, New York District Legal professional Alvin Bragg publicly celebrated YouTube’s new restrictions, suggesting they had been a direct results of his workplace’s calls for.
This improvement provides weight to considerations that Huge Tech shouldn’t be appearing independently however is as an alternative colluding with anti-gun authorities officers to systematically silence pro-Second Modification speech.
Jordan’s investigation might reveal the extent to which the Biden administration and different authorities entities have labored behind the scenes to affect non-public censorship choices.
Huge Tech’s Coordination with Authorities Anti-Gun Agendas
The FTC’s name for public feedback additionally asks whether or not Huge Tech’s censorship choices had been made underneath stress from authorities businesses. If that’s the case, it might represent unlawful collusion to suppress constitutionally protected speech.
Proof suggests that is precisely what’s taking place. Missouri and Louisiana attorneys normal sued the Biden administration in 2022, exposing widespread coordination between the federal authorities and social media corporations to censor speech on COVID-19 insurance policies and different politically delicate subjects. It’s no stretch to imagine that the identical government-tech collusion is in play towards Second Modification supporters.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already admitted that the Biden administration pressured his firm to censor “true” content material that authorities officers deemed politically inconvenient. Everyone knows this stress extends to gun rights advocacy; it represents a direct assault on each the First and Second Amendments.
The Second Modification Should Be the FTC’s Precedence
Whereas all politically motivated censorship is regarding, no matter has confronted extra aggressive, systematic suppression than the GOD-given proper to maintain and bear arms. The FTC’s investigation should prioritize listening to from gun rights supporters, firearm companies, and pro-Second Modification activists who’ve been erased from the digital public sq..
A real investigation into Huge Tech’s abuses can not ignore the monetary blacklisting, de-platforming, and speech suppression which have develop into commonplace follow for Silicon Valley elites intent on disarming the American folks. If the FTC is severe about addressing censorship, it should begin by tackling essentially the most obtrusive instance: the silencing of Second Modification voices.
It’s time for gun homeowners and pro-2A advocates to make their voices heard. The FTC’s request for public feedback presents a uncommon alternative to show Silicon Valley’s struggle on the Second Modification for what it’s—an orchestrated marketing campaign to suppress and finally erase lawful gun possession from American discourse.
What You Can Do
The FTC is asking Individuals to submit examples of censorship they’ve confronted from Huge Tech. In case you’ve been shadow-banned, had posts eliminated, or been denied companies due to your help for the Second Modification, now could be the time to talk up.
Don’t let this second cross. Submit your feedback to the FTC and demand that the company examine the complete scope of digital censorship—together with the plain struggle towards gun homeowners and Second Modification advocates.
YouTube Censorship Of Suppressor Content material & Wholesale Deletion of Creators
Censored by Fb! Smith & Wesson Fights Again, Rallies 2A Neighborhood to Be a part of X
About Tred Legislation
Tred Legislation is your on a regular basis patriot with a deep love for this nation and a no-compromise method to the Second Modification. He doesn’t write articles for Ammoland each week, however when he does write, it’s normally about liberals Fing together with his proper to maintain and bear arms.
