In today’s digital age, the concept of freedom is being stretched thinner than ever before, particularly when it comes to the cherished idea of freedom of speech. Conservatives have long championed this principle, yet here we stand on the brink of a technological crusade where big tech giants wield more power than they ought to. The narrative unfolding is a tale of twisted priorities and blurred lines, all packaged neatly under the guise of protecting society from so-called disinformation.

First, let’s talk about these tech behemoths. They’ve stepped into the role of arbiters of truth, deciding what constitutes disinformation and what doesn’t belong on their platforms. They label themselves as gatekeepers, but who decided that these profit-driven enterprises should hold the keys to the public’s mind? It wasn’t the American people, that’s for certain. There’s an unsettling trend where these corporations overreach and masquerade their actions as public service, when really it’s agenda-setting at its finest.

Essentially, what these platforms are saying is that some speech deserves less attention simply because it doesn’t fit their narrative. They prattle about “reducing a liar’s reach” as if these mythical “liars” are hiding under every rock. But in doing so, are they not limiting the marketplace of ideas where citizens have the right to hear diverse thoughts and form their own opinions? Stamping out voices, no matter how outrageous, diminishes one’s ability to engage critically.

For the left, everything apparently comes down to the Constitution until it no longer suits their needs. They casually dismiss freedom of speech as vague when it challenges their viewpoints, ignoring that the Founding Fathers enshrined this and other freedoms explicitly to protect against exactly this kind of centralized control by the government. Dismissing it as vague only showcases a profound misunderstanding of American principles or perhaps willful ignorance to promote an agenda.

In the end, it’s society at large that loses. These efforts to sanitize the internet under the guise of fighting disinformation veer dangerously into thought policing. The fundamentally American idea that individuals can think for themselves and discern truth from falsehood is under siege. Conservatives must continue to voice opposition to this unchecked power and advocate for a landscape where freedom—true freedom—is not just a philosophical doctrine, but a lived reality for all.