@c1t7 @ashfurrow@mastodon.technology Absolutely correct. Legally speaking with the current law facebook has every right to shut them down if they wish. I addressed that point in an earlier part of the discussion though.

Just because you own the hardware doesnt mean *ethically* you are free to censor. The best analogy I have in my mind is the ISP and internet. The ISP runs PRIVATE hardware. That hardware gives you access to a public network (the internet). In many ways an ISP is like a node in a social media network (even more true when federation is at play). A social media server (like mastodon) is also a private server giving you access to a public network (the fediverse).

For the same reason I'd say it is unethical (and thus should be illegal) for a private ISP to censor aspects of the internet (read: I support net-neutrality) I would say the same for social media. Social media service providers should be held to the same standards of net-neutrality as an ISP would be despite both being private hardware and private companies.