Don't Censor RFK Jr.
Reason.comJul 26, 2023
The Facts
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) secured an emergency hearing on Wednesday in his lawsuit against Google, which seeks a temporary order restricting the removal of his videos from YouTube.
On Wednesday, RFK Jr. submitted a 27-page complaint in California alleging that YouTube — a "state actor" under pressure from Pres. Biden — violated his "First Amendment rights by engaging in viewpoint discrimination."
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
It's egregious that a social media platform is removing the videos of a presidential candidate, robbing the voting public of a free and fair debate. Misinformation, in any case, is still speech and is protected under the First Amendment. The media has spread misinformation about RFK Jr's views, endorsing the silencing voices speaking out against the establishment. Big Tech should stop playing favorites and let the American public decide for themselves.
Pro-establishment narrative
Google, a private company, has every right to decide what can and can't be shown on its platform. While RFK Jr. is conjuring baseless conspiracies of federal meddling to make his case, misinformation has real consequences. YouTube shouldn't be obligated to give him preferential treatment simply because he is running for president. This lawsuit will undoubtedly be dismissed, as RFK Jr. has no right to force a private company to air his hateful views.
Nerd narrative
There's a 1% chance Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.