Text by SADIE IBBOTSON-BROWN and ASHMITA RAJMOHAN
Art by XIAOHAN LI
CAN SPEECH BE TOO FREE?
CENSORSHIP IN LIGHT OF U.S. CAPITOL ATTACK
M
AIA JOHNSSON AWOKE his circle of well-known conservative backto her mother running into ers led relentless attacks against the electorher room, eyes wide with al process with unfounded claims of voter shock as she frantically told fraud and a stolen election in the months the Palo Alto High School junior that “our following Biden’s victory. government is unraveling in front of our Several Republican members of Coneyes.” Confused and gress amplified only half-awake, the delegitimizaJohnsson stumbled I was in awe as I watched tion of the electo her mother’s the heart of American tion on Parler and room where the TV Gab, two far-right displayed stunning government being demol- social media platvisuals emerging ished in front of my own forms. Both apps from Washington, were used to coorD.C. On Jan. 6, eyes.” dinate and garner — MAIA JOHNSSON, junior support for the violent insurrectionists breached attack, bringing the U.S. Capitol in an unforeseen riot with renewed attention to the question of what the intent of stopping the certification of exactly should be allowed under the First the electoral college results. For the next Amendment. two hours, Johnsson watched the news in stunned silence. Alt-right social media “I was completely taken aback by what Parler, an alt-right microblogging and was happening,” Johnsson said. “I was in social networking service, is advertised awe as I watched the heart of American as an unbiased app that “promotes free government being demolished in front of speech.” Since its founding, the app has bemy own eyes.” come a hub for far right-wing conservatives Former President Donald Trump and who feel marginalized by mainstream social
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media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Similarly, Gab, another far-right dominated social media site, has attracted many former Twitter users who felt silenced by the app. These platforms have been under fire in the past for not regulating the incitement of violence through racist and white supremacist language. The Capitol insurrection forced major tech companies into action, and Parler has since been banned from the Amazon Web Server, the Apple App Store and Google Play Store due to blatant and repeated violations of community guidelines. Sophomore Hailey Oshita believes that these companies made the right decision. “When there is a lot of hate being spread and plans to attack the Capitol are being formed on an app, it’s not right to promote something like that,” Oshita said. Sophomore Andrew Robinson echoes Oshita’s
