[lukejduncan]

The challenge with this framing is that you're equating social media to newspapers which provide editorialization. IIRC, one of the core distinctions that allow many tech companies to avoid liability for consumer generated content is not having an editorial role. If they embrace being media companies and editors I believe different regulations will apply to tech companies than currently do.

[ip26]

Isn't that why they are cracking down now? As social media platforms were increasingly used to spread outright lies, propaganda, and radicalization, the public started to demand social media apply editorial functions- and here we are today.

[username90]

"The public", it was a small group of elites. And of course big tech aren't against getting more power so they "comply", they were just waiting for the chance to do it without significant backlash.