Part 7/13:
A crucial point is the influence of the medium: online speech, especially written and screen-captured, is inherently different from spoken words. Tweets, because they are documented and easily shared, have a lasting impact, making the policing of online expression distinct from the heat-of-the-moment remarks in person. The person who tweets under the influence of alcohol, for instance, still faces repercussions, raising concerns about the fairness of such measures.
Questions are raised about whether identical statements—one made by someone with influence and an audience, the other by an ordinary individual—should be treated differently. The tendency to criminalize speech disproportionately affects those without platforms, who lack the means to defend themselves effectively.