Watching American politicians and judges wrestle with the social and political dangers posed by the internet is a bit like watching my cats chase a laser pointer.
They’re very fired up about the hunt, pursuing every zig and zag with showy ferocity, but anytime they approach the target it becomes painfully clear they misunderstand the essential nature of the problem at hand (or, you know, at paw).
Set aside for a minute that the left and right disagree on what exactly are the dangers posed by social media: The left generally argues that companies like Facebook and Twitter aren’t doing enough to root out misinformation, extremism and hate on their platforms, while the right insists that tech companies are going so overboard in their content decisions that they’re suppressing conservative political views.