# Should social media companies be allowed to censor people as the new public square?

*Suspended from Twitter: social media as the new public square and censorship by corporations*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zmirskjob4o/s/35/
- Date: 2020-06-26 · Kind: discussion · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Prof. Edip Yuksel | Rejecting Hadith, Rashad Khalifa & Realizing '19' | MindTrap with Mufti #27 (2:49:10–2:53:05)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmIrskjob4o&t=10150s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zmirskjob4o/

**Topics:** Social media; Blasphemy, insult and free speech; Middle East and the wider world

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** The guest says Twitter suspended him at the Turkish government's instance and that corporations now controlling the virtual public square should be regulated and bound by due process; Mufti Abu Layth agrees the question is a fascinating one.

## Longer summary

Asked about his social media, the guest says he is less active on Facebook and that Twitter, where he had 150,000 followers and great impact, suspended him at the instance of the Turkish government, in cahoots with the company, without stating which tweet broke the rules. He says he is considering a lawsuit but that the First Amendment protects speech against government, not corporations, so he will instead argue in American code from the contract, and expects to win damages. Mufti Abu Layth observes that a company has the right to manage its platform, but agrees it is a fascinating question whether commercial properties that have become the public square should be able to censor; the guest says the public square has moved from the physical to the virtual, controlled by a few corporations who can block anyone, which is a danger to society, so they should be regulated and follow due process. Mufti says they will celebrate when he wins, and asks one last question.

## Sources and names cited

- Edip Yuksel
- Twitter
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan

## Transcript (machine tier, 2:49:10–2:53:05)

[2:48:48] issues and also I have about a good interview with Ruth ow Ruth ow a Kurdish TV in Washington and Isis Isis is Sydney basically they a fight singer Eddie pig said Isis if you write in YouTube you will find you've got it professors a lot of videos and and a lot of writings completely refuting the the belief structure and everything of Isis or extremist ideologies so you're on your own zoom and to look out for your videos on YouTube do you argue on any other

[2:49:27] social media accounts like Facebook and things like this I have Facebook but I'm not as active I used to be I was on Twitter I had a very great impact 150,000 and but the reach was much more than hundred fifty thousand followers but they banned it they suspended me because of type aired on the Turkish government okay in cahoots with the Twitter they bent and they suspended me I'm considering to file a lawsuit against Twitter for this one and I have little chance in one way

[2:50:07] because American Constitution unfortunately doesn't protect against the corporation regarding freedom of expression it protects against government I can sue the government if government censored me but somehow according to the First Amendment law I cannot a claim right against a corporation yeah biggest efficiency in essence it's a company and a company has the right to you know management reserve because the public square in the past was governed by government but public square switched

[2:50:46] with the social media and internet switched from 3d real public square to virtual public square on social media right now it is more applies public square by these two companies but I think I agree with you that it's that's very it's a fascinating discussion that these public spaces which in essence are commercial properties but because it's a company Twitter Facebook whatever but because they've become an entity of public space should they still I mean shouldn't they be a decision the

[2:51:26] responsibles actually your sensor people have hazard me because they control the expression of ideas basically the day the public square therefore for the society it is a danger if just few corporations they censor they can block anyone they want that is absolutely wrong and we should have more against that we should regulate them they should follow due process they cannot just randomly recklessly stop so they didn't even provide me with reason why wish tweet they found against their rules and

[2:52:05] besides the contract I will I will have a lawsuit differently I will not use the First Amendment right because I will use but I have I think a beautiful argument and I will bring it in the American Code against Twitter I have a wonderful argument I think I am going to win in fact I will win some money too because I will damage well let's celebrate once you do before we go just I know this has been a very extended session and I know you must be very tired as well

[2:52:44] so just shortly your your piece on because this just occurred to me I want to ask before your piece on Berkeley and des cartes the two angles of a triangle what was the the the gist of of your your paper there well there are several the idea of who we are whether we are matter among body or mind or body plus mind if body plus mind is called dwellest dualism which is is associated

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment ZmIrskjob4o/s/35. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zmirskjob4o/s/35/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.