Freedom of speech is an important component of western
culture. With modern technology it is becoming increasingly easier for
Americans to express themselves via online commenting. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
etc. are all social media sites that allow people to have quick conversations
on various topics. The content of these comments vary. Different types of media
attract different crowds. Most websites
will experience a problem with certain comments being deemed inappropriate. This Article explains
what these comments might look like or be about. It can be difficult for these
types of comments to be regulated. It can also be difficult for a company to
decide what should be allowed or not on a website. Paypal tried to delete bad
press for their company from their media and this caused an uproar for the
public. People felt like Paypal was ignoring their right to freedom of speech
by taking away their comments. This idea brings us back to case study one and
two. Should companies be allowed to delete comments that reflect badly on them?
Personally, I don’t think they should be able to. People have the right to
express and share their opinions, good or bad. This
Article discusses the implications for companies who
decide to delete negatively about their brand. As we discussed in lecture and
noticed in the first two case studies negativity about a brand can spread like
wildfire, and stifling the voices of the public can backfire immensely.
What about when comments seem to just simply be inappropriate? Should a brand be allowed to delete comments that are offensive to others? I think it is difficult to find the line on what is okay and what is not. What is appropriate for one audience may not be for another. This sort of decision, in my opinion needs to be taken on a case to case basis.
I think it is extremely unethical for a company to delete comments if they don't like them, however I understand that their will be times that hiding comments will be necessary.
No comments:
Post a Comment