RE:WIRED 2021: Rashad Robinson on Freedom of Speech and Accountability

[distinct chatter]

I wanna push back against this idea that

you're not regulated.

You actually are not immune to actually being accountable

to civil rights law for instance.

And you are not immune,

if you print and you amplify and move things

that are deeply untrue

and you're not immune from consequences.

And so, the sort of level of immunity that platforms have,

is quite different than media,

and having been back and forth with these companies

where they have said upfront that they are not media,

and have made it clear that they're not media.

Their money and the paid advertisement

and the money that can be put behind,

the kind of targeted approach to move content.

The surveillance data mining,

all makes these companies very different

than media and freedom of speech is not freedom

from the consequences of speech.

And I think we have to sort of remember that,

and remember that as much as we absolutely,

and as much as a civil rights leader,

I wanna defend the ability for us to express our will

for a better future through civil rights.

I also don't think my civil rights should be valued,

so that companies in Silicon Valley can make more money.

[calm music]