Yes, I think if people want <public> squares then it's time to think about <public> funding. And is broadband now the road to this public square? If so, is there a problem that all these roads are basically toll roads owned by mega-corps?

Telephones have always been operated by for-profit institutions in the U.S. I much prefer at least one layer of indirection between my computer and the NSA. You put the government in charge of the internet and you'll get censorship.

I'm perfectly fine with the innovation coming from SpaceX and mobile operators with 5G to solve these complex problems. It works well by and large.

As for a publicly funded Twitter, meh, would you use it? Have you used government software? Rarely is it designed and run well.

Remember when everyone was all for net neutrality? This is no different IMO.

Would you support changing laws to allow Twitter to ban black people from their platform?

I think the constraints on these companies should be the same as in normal public discourse.

It is strange to me that I can talk to someone on the street about how I'm trying to minimize my consumption of Chinese goods and how this is worthwhile and no one would bat an eye but that that is somehow offensive online.

We can then decide if we want to regulate general public discourse about what we're talking about.

Twitter is not a free speech platform. Simple.

Straw horse argument.

And as a private business I’m pretty sure they can ban anyone they want for any reason.