Post 3

 While I don't personally use tiktok, I can clearly see the danger that is presented when we consider the events that are currently happening surrounding its ban. I may not use tik tok itself, but I do use a number of other social media sites such as Instagram. As someone who is admittedly as obviously reliant as the rest of my peers on mobile technology and internet access, I am not a fan of the concept that our government is able to pick and choose which forms of media are acceptable for its citizens to consume based on its own self interest. By banning a specific social media site, the government sets a precedent that it can do the same to any other as long as it comes up with an acceptable reason. If we follow this line of thought we can see that while the reasoning may be national security now, it could just as easily be any other excuse put forward by people in positions of authority to further an agenda. 

These practices also contradict several of the values of free expression, particularly the marketplace of ideas. The marketplace of ideas is an incredibly important concept to me because I believe that the idea that the best or most deserving ideas will surpass its competitors naturally in a free environment has lots of credibility. No matter how a person defines the success of their idea, when they enter the marketplace of ideas they accept that only the most successful of the lot will come out on top as the best. In order to thrive in an environment such as this, a person is forced to learn to defend their idea and support it against others. When people engage in the market of ideas, they understand that if their idea is to succeed they will need to prove it superior to all others, and all participants strive for the same goal. After all is said and done, the person with the “best” concept will have proven it as such through the process of elimination. 

TikTok being banned in the United States is an example of a contradiction with the marketplace of ideas because TikTok, like every other comparable social media company, has already entered that market as an equal contender. While we may never see a true “best” social media site since different people enjoy different content subjectively, we can use popularity and usage rate as a scale for its success. TikTok has become one of the most commonly used social media apps to date, showing us that it has the ability to rise above its competitors in the market of ideas. By stepping in and forcibly interfering with this company, even going as far as forcing the owners of the product to sell it to another, the government tells us that it does not care about the process of the market of ideas. Because of these actions, the message that the government has sent to its citizens is that it does not truly care about their opportunity to engage in the market, only that the products that serve their best interests are the ones that are made to succeed.

Post 2

 

• What did you learn about the Supreme Court that you didn't already know?

I did not know that the first time the court struck down a court struck down an act of congress for being unconstitutional was under John Marshall during Marbury v Madison in 1803. While I knew the court was not always as respected as it is now, I did not know that it took such a long time to gain its reputation.

• What is the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court?

The supreme court exists to defend the constitution and to ensure that the judicial system is solely responsible for determining the law. Another important takeaway is that when an issue is brought to the supreme court, the court does not have to accept it.

• What was the most surprising thing you learned?

I was surprised to learn just how complicated the system of communication is between the court and the justices, as well as how much time the justices themselves are given to sway each others opinions while they deliberate.

• How did the video change the way you thought of the Supreme Court?

I thought that the video went a long way to humanize the supreme court to me. Before I had seen it as more of a strict enforcement of the constitution, but now I see it more as a collection of informed people persuading each other into trying to make appropriate decisions.

Post 1.

 1. ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/ 

    I like ABC news as a news source because they make a habit of covering both domestic and international stories. While I admittedly care more about the news that is occurring in our own country, it is undeniable that we as citizens need to be aware of the state that the rest of our world is in as well. While it can be argued that ABC news has turned toward left leaning preferences, their stories stand to offer just as many important contrasts to the perspectives of opposing news sources as others.

2. Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/

    Most of my exposure to fox news comes from my parents having it on every time I go home for break. While fox news is undeniably a right leaning news source, I have found that they provide a good amount of commentary on international and economic events in addition to their political opinions. I think that it is important for people to consume news from multiple different perspectives, and I find that fox news tends to have perspectives that I rarely see on other platforms.

3. Apple News: https://www.apple.com/apple-news/publications/

    While I do not go out of my way to look at the news very often, I find that apple news makes it somewhat easier to navigate since it is easy to use and easy to access. Apple news pulls together stories from various other sources to present to the user based on what it thinks is applicable to them, which I honestly think could be either positive or negative depending on the person. The collection of stories from separate locations has the potential to offer fresh and relevant information on a daily basis

4. The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ 

    The Washington post seems to be a credible/ respected news source that prioritizes in-depth investigative stories, which usually seem to be relevant when they appear. Unfortunately the Washington Post uses a subscription service, making it hard to access sometimes for people like me who do not pay for it.

5. British Broadcasting Corporation: https://www.bbc.com/

    Because the BBC is not located in the United states, they seem to stand the best chance at remaining impartial to American politics. As a non- american entity, they are in a unique position compared to many of the other major news outlets to provide a credible perspective on important issues without being impacted by the influences that sway our own sources. In addition to this, the BBC also gives Americans an interesting lens to view the events of Europe and the rest of the world through.