Meta-owned Instagram’s new venture, Threads, is already facing backlash for silencing conservative voices within 24 hours of its launch. This move highlights the concerning power that big tech platforms hold over the digital town square. With Facebook and Instagram under scrutiny for their content-curating algorithms, Threads adds to the growing concerns about a monopolistic control of information flow and a stifling of divergent views. Alternative platforms like Truth Social and Rumble offer a counterweight to this stranglehold, but the battle for free speech is far from over. A recent judicial ruling questioning the censorship practices of social media platforms brings hope, but the uphill battle continues. As Threads joins the ranks of platforms governing acceptable speech, it is crucial to demand transparency, openness, and the preservation of free speech online.
