This is in response to another member named Bucket, in a thread apparently talking about Elon Musk “trying” to buy Twitter:
Maybe you're not from the USA but our Constitution outlines freedom of speech as the government not being allowed to arrest you for what you say (although of course that's been modified a bit to exclude things like blood libel and shouting "FIRE" in a crowded theater). You do not have a right to a platform.
In context I can see the point, especially given a few things that the quotee missed. For one, you are absolutely not guaranteed any particular platform in the US. Yes, you can actually set up on a street corner just yelling stuff out, and unless you’re blocking traffic, getting aggressive, or otherwise being a nuisance beyond simply being an annoying little prick, you pretty much won’t be bothered. You are not however guaranteed to be printed in any newspaper, magazine, or book, nor shown on any movie or TV show, or posted on any website, if the owner of said platform is against having you there, because the platform owner also has free speech rights and doesn’t have to offer you a platform of any kind if they choose not to. You know … like Twitter isn’t actually required to have you as a member.
Also, can anyone in the UK confirm or deny for me, is there or is there not some codified form of guarantee of speech there? Or is it merely Common Law and a history of court decisions that makes it illegal for the government there to arrest you just because you called your local councilman a worthless prick who shouldn’t have even been elected dog catcher on a lifeless island?