Gia Honnen Releases New Book on Constitutional Crossroads: Navigating Big Tech's Role in Free Speech

In their newly released book, Pepperdine Graziadio faculty member Gia Luisa Honnen and co-author T.L. Smith delve into a pressing contemporary issue surrounding Big Tech's role in regulating online content and its implications for First Amendment rights. 

Titled JAWBONING THE BIG TECH JUGGERNAUTS: WHEN DOMINANT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS CAVE TO GOVERNMENT PRESSURE AND BECOME STATE ACTORS IN A SECTION 230 WORLD, the authors argue that when government pressure coerces or influences tech giants to censor or shadow ban content, it constitutes a violation of users' constitutional rights. They contend that federal legislative immunity combined with regulatory pressures effectively render Big Tech a state actor in its content moderation policies, subjecting it to the same constitutional scrutiny as the government. 

By exploring the complexities of Section 230 and the blurred lines between public and private entities in online regulation, the book offers a critical analysis of the evolving digital landscape and its impact on free speech.

The book is available for purchase on Amazon.