The Aim of this post is to provide an introduction to the topic of REGULATION

STARTER

Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy.

Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2022

Republicans predict Elon Musk will unleash ‘free speech’ on Twitter while Democrats panic over misinformation

https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-purchase-political-reaction-2022-4

This deal is dangerous for our democracy. Billionaires like Elon Musk play by a different set of rules than everyone else, accumulating power for their own gain. We need a wealth tax and strong rules to hold Big Tech accountable.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 25, 2022

ACTIVITY 1

Get students to express their own ideas in relation to Musk’s take-over bid for Twitter. Ask students to simply state their own case for regulation, censorship and control – or lack of it. Get students to sit in a horseshoe that indicates: FOR v AGAINST CENSORHSIP, REGULATION AND CONTROL. This will indicate either a LIBERTARIAN or AUTHORITARIAN PERSPECTIVE. This is a key conceptual approach that can be revisited by completing the Political Bias activity on the next page.

Hopefully the discussion will focus on the need to speak-up. Make a clear link between the benefits and drawbacks of saying what you think. Underline the role of the (mass) media in SELECTING, GATE-KEEPING & AMPLIFYING particular conversations and ideas.