Censorship

There has been a lot written lately about the "new social media" that have emerged in our society -- Facebook, Twitter and others. Much of the commentary has focused on the shifts in assumptions and expectations about privacy.

I'm just realizing that these new media may affect another aspect of our society: censorship.

I discovered this because I myself became the censor.

Yesterday, one of my status updates said: "Lucky Fresh just got an email from her congressman titled 'Public Option: No Choices, Just Government-run Health Care'. Do you think he assumes we don't know what the word 'option' means? Or is he being deliberately mis-leading?"

Yes, I was disgusted. Yes, it was a little snarky. But as it turns out, I may have been biting off more than I was in the mood to chew.

One friend immediately chimed in with the answer "Both."

But then another facebook friend, who happens to be a cousin I hardly know who happens to be a right-winger, chimed in with a comment that, from my perspective, was insulting to the president.

And at that point, I realized I was just not in the mood for another debate about all that. And I wasn't in the mood to see his obnoxious comment there on my profile page.

So I deleted it.

A few more people chimed in later, including him, though his second comment was less clear and less annoying. But it didn't turn into the debate I was trying to avoid. I was glad. (I had also quickly changed my status update to something quirky and cheerful, so as to distract attention from it.)

But it got me to thinking. I'm not sure I've ever deleted someone else's comment before. I've usually felt like people have the right to express themselves.

Earlier this week, a debate about paid sick leave raged below my status update for a day or so. One person wrote in to say that "Arguing on someone else's facebook page feels rude. I'm sure there are other formats that would facilitate a reasonable discussion of this important topic."

That seemed weird to me. I had started the discussion and actually didn't find it as heated as some people evidently did. So why was someone else (who didn't even have to read it if she didn't want to, as she hadn't commented previously or 'liked' my update) trying to stifle conversation? Perhaps she doesn't have as many mouthy friends and friends of friends as I do, but I've seen lots of people having debates on one person's facebook page. Seems that's one of the major things some people do on facebook.

Except the other day, I wasn't in the mood. And because it was on my page, I had the authority to delete whatever I wanted. And I did. Is that censorship?

What this reminds me of is another threat to public discourse. In recent decades, the whole reality of "the public square" has been diminished. Yes, we still have parks, and some towns still have commons with stores that people frequent. But in most places, the mall has replaced the town square. And there is one major difference between a town square and a mall when it comes to free expression: a mall is private property. There is no right to hold a protest at a mall.

Which is a problem, if you want to hold a protest in a place people will actually see you. Because the mall is where the people are. Yet, there is no right to present your opinions there.

Is my facebook page like a mall? Is it my private property? (Actually, it's not. It belongs to the facebook people, which is a whole other issue. For the sake of this debate, however, I exercise control over what's deleted or not, so it's "mine".) Do I have a right to censor what is written on my page? Facebook seems to think so, or it wouldn't give me the ability to do so.

What will this mean for the future of public debate? Will these social media affect our concepts of censorship the way they are supposedly affecting our understandings of privacy? I don't know.

I think most people, myself included, have some sense that one should be restrained in deleting other people's comments. It's obvious that just because someone posts something on your page that doesn't mean that you agree with them. And most people do not want the reputation of only listening to people who agree with them. So mostly, I think people will not delete comments without good reason.

Is not being in the mood for a debate a good reason? I'm not sure.