In this assignment, you will formulate and defend your argument about one of the topics below. You can borrow freely from the arguments that are presented in the reading—your argument does not have to be entirely original, but it should instead be the best argument you can formulate, given the available material.
Choose one of the topics below, and read all the linked sources:
Option I
- Social Media and Censorship
There are numerous debates afoot about whether social media companies should censor or limit the viewpoints expressed on their platforms. There is also a lot of contention about whether the government should be involved in determining what gets censored.
Consider the below sources, and then choose a case study (such as COVID, the war in Ukraine, Hunter Biden’s laptop, or something more current by the time you read this). Using your case study as a focus, make an argument for why social media companies (such as Facebook and Twitter) should or should not be permitted to censor or limit some of their content. In the course of making this argument, refer to and evaluate arguments in your sources. Your essay must address, in detail, counterarguments to your own position that you find in your sources. Choose the strongest counterarguments you can find, and make sure your presentation of them is thorough and fair.