Facebook Allows Too Much Free Speech

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I would say that I knew this would happen sooner or later but I honestly could not see this one coming. Now it appears that there is an issue uprising in regards to the levels of free speech being offered to users of Facebook. Now, I can see where those who may be opting for Facebook to censor a little more can be going with this whole notion but the greater part of me is saying give it a break.

It all started in China. Facebook is now in talks with Chinese partners to launch Facebook services in the country where it is currently blocked for use. China, you may know, is far more conservative than the United States in terms of what can, can't, will and will not be said or displayed on social mediums or other media outlets. There is a huge and largely debatable issue regarding censorship currently brewing throughout the country.

By expanding Facebook into China, it is required that the social platform abide by Chinese law which requires web companies to censor everything from search results to status updates. This is where things tend to get a little tricky. For many of us Facebook users, the beauty of the social ...
... network is that we have the space and the opportunity to do, say, update as we please. Facebook offers a platform for us to express ourselves and share our voices to all of our friends who may otherwise have no idea how we think, feel, are.

Free expression and sharing is the thread holding the cloth that is Facebook together. At least that's how we (if I can speak for most of us) see it here in the United States. Perhaps the Chinese won't mind. It is quite likely that the citizens of China have grown use to Chinese social networking and search censorship so the same level of censorship that has been grown accustom to added to Facebook will go unnoticed.

Maybe it's not the Chinese that will mind the censorship so much, perhaps Facebook won't be able to tolerate this skewed way of expression. Facebook has openly stated in the past that they are dedicated to making the world a more open and connected place. It would be kind of hard to make the world more open when expression in China is actively being closed off.

It appears that Facebook may seek to find a healthy median with this debate. According to Adam Conner, a Facebook lobbyist, Maybe we will block content in some countries, but not others. Maybe that's the best idea in this instance. This way Facebook can still work on obtaining a broader presence without stepping on any toes. Yea, the mere foundation on which the social network is built will be compromised but surely more will be gained, right?

In my opinion Facebook should definitely walk into this one slow and steady. Make no rush decisions as not to offend anyone unnecessarily. Take your time with this was, Facebook. Write a list a pros and cons and take it from there. That strategy always works for me.