社群媒體與言論自由──國家行為、公共論壇、政府言論

Freedom of Speech on Social Media: State Action, Public Forum, Government Speech

科技之轉變根本性地改變了人們溝通之模式，司法實務業承認網路提供了個人最有利的發聲機制，線上言論之中介，特別是社群媒體平台，對於網路使用人之表達自由有著巨大之影響。然而，諸如臉書等，正全球性地對於私人之言論執行言論內容之規範，當最基本之言論價值受到侵害，是否僅因為侵害者為私人而非國家，就應受到容許？社群媒體平台應否受到美國憲法增修條文第1條所規制？使用人得否在社群媒體上主張美國憲法增修條文第1條保障之權利？社群媒體改變了我們每天對話的方式，而社群媒體對於言論自由之基本理論及國家之行為的影響尚在發展，並等待分析及理解。美國司法實務雖承認網路乃溝通最重要之論壇，社群媒體則為現代之公共領域，然而該等平台卻對於其認為不當之言論，基於觀點而加以移除及歧視。民眾曾經對於國家壓抑言論之恐懼，如今重現於社群媒體上，因而，社群媒體上呈現一個詭異之對比，一方面，極盡開放並容許各種溝通之管道，另一方面，藉由對於言論內容之審查，形成憲法的化外之地，如何加以融整，其間之思辯正熱議中。本文擬就這種新興科技所產生之憲法爭議，以傳統之言論自由理論：國家行為、公共論壇、政府言論來予以分析論述，並加以對照我國。

Changes in technology have fundamentally altered the manner in which people communicate. The Court has recognized that the Internet provides perhaps the most powerful mechanism available to a private citizen to make his or her voice heard. Online speech intermediaries, particularly social platforms, have an enormous impact on internet users’freedom of expression. Such as Facebook to conduct private worldwide speech regulation as they create and enforce their own rules regarding what types of user content are permissible on their platforms. Should users be able to assert their First Amendment rights against these platforms? Why infringements of the most basic values-speech, should be tolerated just because the violator is a private entity rather than the government. The full extent of social media's impact on free speech doctrine and government action is a field that has yet to be developed, analyzed and fully understood. The Court has recognized the internet as one of the most important forums for communication and dubbed social networks the modern day public square. These sites are currently allowed to have the sole discretion to remove and discriminate against viewpoints that each does not deem fit for the site. The fear people once had of the government suppressing speech is now a reality with social media networks. Social network websites present us with a strange juxtaposition: on the one hand, social network websites are incomparably open and tolerant venues for expression of all kinds, and on the other hand, they are essentially Constitution-free zones where the threat of censorship. But how can we reconcile? The debate rages on. We discuss freedom of speech on social media, from traditional free speech doctrine: State Action, Public Forum, Government Speech. And compared it to Taiwan.