Free speech in the age of deplatforming

As a staunch supporter of free speech, I’m concerned about the trend of major social media companies “deplatforming” certain users. I also understand that it is within their legal rights to deny service to those who violate their rules.
First Amendment protections are from government censorship and don’t apply to private companies. But in the internet age, services like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are the new public spaces for discourse.
I realize that social media firms are in a tough position. They want an advertiser-friendly environment and are now having to police content for fake news, harassment and hate speech, especially speech that could incite violence.
Most people would agree it is a good idea for social media services to ban unrepentant trolls like Alex Jones who repeatedly push fake news and conspiracy theories. They pollute those platforms with lies and deception.
But social media companies run the risk of shutting down legitimate debate if they go too far with their enforcement of what they consider acceptable speech. Already Facebook and Twitter have cast their nets too wide and shut down users that they shouldn’t have.
Here are some recent examples:

• Chuck Ross, a reporter at The Daily Caller, was suspended from Twitter after making a "learn to code" joke because it was considered harassment. (Reason; March 11, 2019)
• Actor and outspoken conservative James Woods was locked out of his Twitter account, after being suspended for “abusive behavior” by paraphrasing American poet and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. (NTD; May 3, 2019)
• Twitter banned a parody account that made fun of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D–N.Y.), as well as the account’s creator and operator, Michael Morrison. (Reason; May 7, 2019)
• Twitter suspended a user for tweeting links to 3D printed gun designs. (Reason; May 17, 2019)
• Facebook deleted without warning or explanation the Banting7DayMealPlan user group. The group had 1.65 million users who post testimonials and other information regarding the efficacy of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. (Reason; May 24, 2019)

Meanwhile, critics note, Twitter and Facebook still allow violent groups like Hamas to use their platforms. That makes their policies appear arbitrary and capricious.

Related articles:

2018 was the year we (sort of) cleaned up the internet (Mashable; Dec. 26, 2018)

How Should Facebook (and Twitter, and YouTube, and …) Decide What Speech To Allow? (Reason; Dec. 31, 2018)

Should Twitter, Facebook, and Others Delete Provably Wrong Material? (Bloomberg Businessweek; March 5, 2019)

Facebook Has Every Right To Ban Louis Farrakhan and Alex Jones. But It's Still a Bad Idea. (Reason; May 3, 2019)

Here’s How Facebook Should Really Handle Alex Jones (Politico; May 3, 2019)

Content Moderation At Scale Is Impossible: Facebook Still Can't Figure Out How To Deal With Naked Breasts (Techdirt; May 6, 2019)

Photo: Twitter-inspired art from “Antisocial” photo series by Mike Campau.