Platform or Publisher? Social Media Can’t Be Both | Opinion

Social media companies have enveloped every aspect of our lives. There is no escaping them. As Justice Anthony Kennedy pointed out, their sites are “the principal sources for knowing current events, checking ads for employment, speaking and listening in the modern public square, and otherwise exploring the vast realms of human thought and knowledge.” Everything we see on the internet comes to us through a few companies. This raises an important question: are these companies publishers of content, like a newspaper or broadcaster, or passive distribution platforms, like internet service providers (ISPs) or postal services? The difference is enormous—publishers can…