2021-01-13 11:09:38

Are Social Media Companies Silencing Free Speech?


Sonali Kolhatkar speaks with Meleiza Figueroa about if social media companies are silencing free speech?

With Twitter’s permanent suspension of Donald Trump’s account, the President has lost his direct megaphone to tens of millions of Americans. Trump effectively used his social media accounts to generate headlines, deflect attention, praise his supporters, direct their fury, castigate his political enemies, and subvert traditional media gatekeepers. Now, some on the left are warning that silencing Trump and his supporters is a violation of their free speech rights that could come back to haunt the left.

Meleiza Figueroa, PhD Candidate in Geography at UC Berkeley and Faculty owner at the Cooperative New School for Urban Studies and Environmental Justice. She has been a longtime political educator and organizer, involved in a wide range of movements for social and environmental justice in California and is a correspondent for Rising Up With Sonali. 

Rising Up with Sonali is a radio and television show that brings progressive news coverage rooted in gender and racial justice to a wide audience. Rising Up With Sonali was built on the foundation of Sonali Kolhatkar's earlier show, Uprising, which became the longest-running drive-time radio show on KPFK in Los Angeles hosted by a woman. RUS airs on Free Speech TV every weekday.

Missed an episode? Check out Rising Up on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

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1st amendment Free Speech TV Freedom Of Speech Meleiza Figueroa Rising Up with Sonali Social Media Sonali Kolhatkar

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