A few tech companies force the Donald Trump service offline recently. Their decisions have thrown the controversy about freedom of speech.
Two problems stand out. For one thing, the choices lacked consistency or proportionality. The other problem is who made the decisions. This means that a few unelected and unaccountable executives are in control. Following these, there is a better way to deal with speech online.
First, making the industry more competitive would help. But for as long as the industry is an oligopoly, here are other approaches. The first step is to define a test of what should be censored, constitutional protection for example. Furthermore, they need to be transparent and predictable. Difficult judgments should fall to independent non-statuary boards that give people the right of appeal.
To sum up, regulation of free speech should not be outsourced to a few tech tycoons.