The following message was returned from the mail servers saying it was sent to an unrecognized email address. Strange, Casey wants to reply but not allow a discussion on the issues. Here is the email "exchange."
Hon. Sen. Casey:
Thank you for your response. In your response you defeat your own
argument for supporting the right of private companies not to be
responsible for insuring free speech and to regulate their content.
Yet, that is what's being done with the Act absolving them of any
responsibility for speech occurring on their platforms. Either they
allow all speech and allow others to argue the positions or prove or
disprove the theories presented, which is true free speech, or they
should be treated as publishers and regulate the point of views they
want on their platform.
You say that "we" cannot allow these platforms to be weaponized to
disseminate hate or misinformation... we is a form of preventing
free speech. Free speech means we hear that speech (which I do not
like either) but we counter it with facts of our own and the reader
must be allowed to make up his or hers own mind. Any form of control
is you saying people cannot reason on their own, and that is a sad,
sad period in our lives.
It's black and white. There is no grey area here. Other publishers
are responsible for what they try to control, and so should Twitter,
Facebook, Parler, and all the other "platforms" on the Internet.
If we aren't allowed to reason these things out on our own it is a
sad day because you show you think you are superior to me and
others, and it's to be the other way around, where you are
responsible to us.
Sincerely,
D. Scott Miller
Dear Mr. Miller:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about speech regulation on social media platforms.
Technological advancements and the accessibility of information online have created unprecedented opportunities for individuals to connect, communicate and expand their knowledge. Yet many Americans have raised concerns about how online platforms regulate the content their users see and whether these platforms may be filtering out certain viewpoints.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution established that, "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech." As private companies, social media platforms are not bound by the First Amendment, but I believe that the right to speak freely and express one's opinions is a core tenet of American democracy. As a society, we must work to ensure everyone has the right to express their viewpoints in a productive, respectful and nonviolent way, including online. At the same time, we cannot allow these platforms to be weaponized to disseminate hate or misinformation designed to facilitate violence, spread distrust and harm our foundational democratic institutions.
On March 27, 2019, I introduced S. 917, the Stop HATE Act, which would require the Departments of Commerce and Justice to study how the internet is being used to fuel violence and hate crimes against individuals or groups. It would also require the departments to recommend ways-consistent with the First Amendment-that the government or private citizens can combat these growing threats. A previous version of this report was released in 1993, but it has not been updated in over 25 years.
Please rest assured that I will continue to monitor the situation and keep your concerns in mind as legislation related to this issue is considered by the Senate.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.
For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, http://casey.senate.gov. I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.
Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator