I examine whether social media platforms “speak” when they curate user content, an issue central to pending Supreme Court cases challenging state laws regulating platform moderation. I question the claim that content moderation constitutes protected editorial speech, noting tensions with Section 230, which treats platforms as hosts rather than speakers. Unlike newspapers, platforms mostly distribute user speech while disclaiming responsibility for it. I argue courts must balance platforms’ rights with concerns about their power to shape public discourse. Ultimately, how the Court resolves this issue could significantly affect free expression in the modern digital public square.
