Ares CEO is suing the San Diego Sheriff’s Department because he was banned from their Facebook page.
Facebook and the 1st Amendment: When a government entity exerts dominion over a particular space
and then designates that particular space as a public forum they cannot arbitrarily violate people’s right
to free speech in that space.
- Facebook is a private entity and therefore they can arbitrarily censor if they so choose.
- An individual user of Facebook is a private person and can arbitrarily censor their own page if
they so choose.- A government entity that uses tax dollars to set up and maintain a Facebook page as a
designated public forum cannot use more tax dollars to then violate the 1st amendment rights of
speakers in that designated public forum through arbitrary censorship.