2026-05-23T13:06:04Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/request

oai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-2023162025-09-15T19:36:41Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items

202316 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.202316 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2025-12 na pages Lopez, Sinai Van Engen, Dagmar Iqbal, Hamza Barrett, The Honors College Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business School of Politics and Global Studies This thesis examines how private social media platforms influence digital speech and shape public discourse, despite not being subject to the First Amendment. While the Constitution prohibits government censorship, platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Meta, and YouTube operate as private entities with broad power to curate, restrict, or amplify content using opaque algorithms and content moderation policies. Through a case study of Elon Musk’s acquisition of X and a broader analysis of platform practices, this project highlights the blurry line between censorship and content management. Ultimately, it argues for the development of a "Digital Bill of Rights" to protect users’ speech in these quasi-public digital spaces, recognizing the growing role these platforms play in modern democratic dialogue. Social Media First Amendment The Illusion of Free Speech: Social Media, Private Power, and Public Silence