Blog Post 2
With President Trump being the first president to fully engage himself in the world of Twitter, the question of whether or not Trump’s use of the block feature on the social media platform is a violation of the first amendment sparked a debate. In the 2019 article by Lauren Beausoleil, Is Trolling Trump A Right or a Privilege?, we discover that the court case of Columbia University v. Trump resulted in the court’s decision that the blocking of fellow Twitter users is held within public forum, therefore deeming blockage unconstitutional. The thorough analysis of each side of this debate built upon Beausoleil’s credibility as an unbiased commentator. Although she thoroughly deciphers both sides of the argument, Beausoleil’s stance is clearly stated. In response to the courts decision, She respectfully claimed that “this error is especially problematic in light of increasing scholarly criticism of courts for applying the public forum doctrine in an inconsistent, subjective manner that obscures the boundaries of the doctrine” (Beausoleil II.-32). As somebody who believes that government interference in social media platforms must be enforced to an extent, I am curious to hear other’s perspectives on where we should draw the line. I strongly believe that if Trump isn’t able to block other users on Twitter, nobody she be able to block other users on Twitter. I say this with the obvious understanding that Trump’s content is often important when considering his position in office, but let’s be honest, much of his content is ignorant and often distasteful. In my opinion, claiming that being blocked from trolling his Twitter feed is indeed a violation of our Freedom of Speech is quite a reach. In conclusion, Beausoleil’s stance agrees with my belief that Trump’s blocking of Twitter users is in no way a violation of our first amendment. By assessing the court’s incorrect application of public forum analysis, Beausoleil strongly provided evidence that strengthened her argument.
BEAUSOLEIL, LAUREN. “IS TROLLING TRUMP A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE?: THE ERRONEOUS FINDING IN KNIGHT FIRST AMENDMENT INSTITUTE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY v. TRUMP.” Boston College Law Review, vol. 60, Dec. 2019, pp. 31–46. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=141165131&site=ehost-live.
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