Ethics and Legality

Now that you’ve studied a bit deeper into some of the ethical and legal regulations put in place on social media, it’s time to apply what you know to a real-world scenario. Recently, President Trump, a longtime Twitter user (often to excess) signed an executive order aimed at preventing censorship online after the platform began flagging some of his tweets as misleading or portraying false information. Up until this point, media companies have had censorship protections thanks to a 1996 law that prevents them from being involved in lawsuits related to such issues. Since Twitter began flagging Trump’s content, other giants like Facebook have begun doing the same in what seems like retaliation for the impending order. Your job for this research paper is to analyze the executive order (linked above) and relate it back to what you’re learned about ethics and legality on social media. Specifically, you should consider the following as related to the First Amendment and free speech: – Who dictates what can and can’t be posted on each social network? How is this content regulated? – What is considered free speech on social media and how is that speech protected by the First Amendment? – How have social networks and other tech companies been protected up until now? How has this statute worked for or against them, and in what way? – What caused Trump’s “Twitter Takedown?” What events led up to this and what has happened since? – What exactly is affected by the executive order, and what repercussions will this order have on Twitter and other social networks? – Has this order changed Trump’s behavior on social media? – What are some of the potential long-term effects of this new executive order, and how do you think they will play out? – Was the President right in executing such an order? Provide an unbiased opinion based on information and reason. Remember, this is not a politically-charged assignment. Rather, you should approach this paper with an open mind focused on applying key information to this particular case. Any blanket statements regarding your particular political opinion will result in a point deduction. This paper should be 5-7 pages in length, formatted in current APA style, and should include a minimum of 8-10 credible sources. If you are unfamiliar with APA style, Purdue OWL is a great place for a refresher.

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