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Supreme Court Will Decide What Free Speech Means on Social Media – Gizmodo

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The Supreme Court is hearing two cases on Monday that could set new precedents around free speech on social media platforms. The cases challenge two similar laws from Florida and Texas, respectively, which aim to reduce Silicon Valley censorship on social media, much like Elon Musk has done at X in the last year.

Twitter Verification is a Hot Mess

After four hours of opening arguments, Supreme Court Justices seemed unlikely to completely strike down Texas and Floridas laws, according to Bloomberg. Justice Clarence Thomas said social media companies were engaging in censorship. However, Chief Justice John Roberts questioned whether social media platforms are really a public square. If not, they wouldnt fall under the First Amendments protections.

At one point, the lawyer representing Texas shouted out, Sir, this is a Wendys. He was trying to prove a point about public squares and free speech, but it didnt make much sense.

The cases, Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton, both label social media platforms as a digital public square and would give states a say in how content is moderated. Both laws are concerned with conservative voices being silenced on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms, potentially infringing on the First Amendment.

Silencing conservative views is un-American, its un-Texan and its about to be illegal, said Texas Governor Greg Abbott on X in 2021, announcing one of the laws the Supreme Court is debating on Monday.

If Big Tech censors enforce rules inconsistently, to discriminate in favor of the dominant Silicon Valley ideology, they will now be held accountable, said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in a 2021 press release, announcing his new law.

NetChoice, a coalition of techs biggest players, argues that these state laws infringe on a social media companys right to free speech. The cases have made their way to the United States highest court, and a decision could permanently change social media.

The laws could limit Facebooks ability to censor pro-Nazi content on its platform, for example. Social media companies have long been able to dictate what kind of content appears on their platform, but the topic has taken center stage in the last year. Musks X lost major advertisers following a rise in white supremacist content that appeared next to legacy brands, such as IBM and Apple.

NetChoice argues that social media networks are like newspapers, and they have a right to choose what appears on their pages, litigator Chris Marchese told The Verge. The New York Times is not required to let Donald Trump write an 0p-ed under the First Amendment, and NetChoice argues the same goes for social media.

NetChoices members include Google, Meta, TikTok, X, Amazon, Airbnb, and other Silicon Valley staples beyond social media platforms. The association was founded in 2001 to make the Internet safe for free enterprise and free expression.

Social and political issues have consumed technology companies in recent months. Googles new AI chatbot Gemini was accused of being racist against white people last week. In January, Mark Zuckerberg, sitting before Senate leaders, apologized to a room of parents who said Instagram contributed to their childrens suicides or exploitation.

Both of these laws were created shortly after Twitter, now X, banned Donald Trump in 2021. Since then, Musk has completely revamped the platform into a free speech absolutist site. Similar to Governors Abbot and DeSantis, Musk is also highly concerned with so-called liberal censorship on social media.

The Supreme Courts decision on these cases could have a meaningful impact on how controversy and discourse play out on social media. Congress has faced criticism for its limited role in regulating social media companies in the last two decades, but this decision could finally set some ground rules. Its unclear which way the Court will lean on these cases, as the issues have little precedent.

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Supreme Court Will Decide What Free Speech Means on Social Media - Gizmodo

Spillover effects from private equity acquisitions in the health care sector – Brown University

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The health care sector is witnessing a significant transformation as private equity (PE) firms step up their acquisition of physician practices. This trend reflects a broader shift within the health care industry of corporate investors acquiring health care providers, driven by the allure of short-term profitability and efficiency gains. It also raises questions about the implications for health care quality, accessibility and the overall impact on the U.S. health care system.

A new study led by Yashaswini Singh, assistant professor of health services, policy, and practice and a member of Browns Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research, will explore this phenomenon and the effects of PE acquisitions on health care accessibility. Funded by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, the study, Spillover Effects of Private Equity Acquisitions of Physician Practices on Local Market Competitors: Implications for Access to Care, represents a pioneering investigation into a critically under-examined area.

Singhs prior research shows that PE acquisitions of physician practices often lead to increased health care spending and utilization, changes in workforce composition and a reshaping of services based on profitability. Yet the extended impact of these changes, especially the spillover effects on competing practices within the same locale, remains largely unexplored.

Singhs new study will consider a core concern: the propensity of PE firms to prioritize short-term financial gains, potentially at the expense of offering comprehensive care. This strategy may lead to the curtailment or discontinuation of less lucrative services, disproportionately burdening independent medical practices, as they may have to accommodate an increased demand from patients turned away from PE-owned offices.

Singh and her study co-author, Durgar Borkar, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Duke University, are focusing on the field of ophthalmology, merging hand-collected data on PE ownership with longitudinal medical claims data. Their work is set to make a significant contribution to the field, providing the first policy-relevant empirical evidence on the market-wide effects of PE acquisitions.

We spoke to Professor Singh about her upcoming study.

Over the last decade, theres been a rapid increase in institutional investors, such as private equity funds, acquiring physician practices, primarily through consolidation. Private equity aims to generate approximately 20% annual returns over short investment periods of three to seven years. This raises concerns about whether private equitys financial incentives can coexist with physician incentives to deliver affordable, accessible, high-value care for patients.

In the past five years, acquisitions have occurred in several specialties, including dermatology and ophthalmology, and more recently, primary care. A growing body of literature is examining the impact of these acquisitions on health care spending, quality and access outcomes, which is the focus of my research and this grant.

Thats in the ballpark, indicating a rapid trend in corporate consolidation in the last five to ten years. However, specific numbers are hard to confirm due to the private nature of these transactions. Private equity companies are exempt from Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure requirements, and most physician practice acquisitions go unreported to antitrust authorities like the Federal Trade Commission.This lack of transparency is a key policy issue, making it hard for researchers, policymakers, physicians and patients to understand the real magnitude of these trends.

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Spillover effects from private equity acquisitions in the health care sector - Brown University

Supercomputer predicts Boxing Day results as both Liverpool and Manchester United get ready for action – Sportskeeda

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A supercomputer has predicted contrasting results for Manchester United and Liverpool as they take the field on Boxing Day in the Premier League.

According to Caught Offside, a supercomputer has predicted Liverpool to secure an emphatic 4-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor. The same computer has predicted Manchester United to once again drop points and pick up a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Both sides desperately need a win heading into their respective Boxing Day fixtures. The Reds have drawn their last two home games against United and then against Arsenal on Saturday, December 23.

Erik ten Hag's side, however, are in an even worse run of form in the Premier League. The Red Devils are currently winless in their last three league games and have failed to score a goal in each of those outings. They come into the game on the back of a 2-0 loss to West Ham United at London Stadium.

The two aforementioned fixtures are not the only Boxing Day games the supercomputer predicted. The computer also predicted wins for Nottingham Forest, Fulham, and Luton Town against Newcastle United, Bournemouth, and Sheffield United, respectively.

According to the aforementioned source, the supercomputer has taken various factors into consideration while making these predictions. Things like a team's record in past Boxing Day games, current form, etc. were all contributing factors for the predictions made.

Liverpool and Manchester United have had contrasting fortunes in the 2023-24 season so far. The Reds are in the midst of a title race with the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester City.

The team from Merseyside are currently second in the table, having accumulated 39 points from 18 games. They are just one point behind league leaders Arsenal.

United, on the other hand, are struggling to secure European football of any flavor. At the time of writing, they are eighth in the standings, having picked up 28 points from 18 matches. Erik ten Hag's side are eight points behind Tottenham Hotspur who currently occupy the final Champions League spot.

Manchester United did secure a 0-0 draw against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this month. Jurgen Klopp's side dominated the affair with 69 percent possession and 34 shots in the game to United's six but still failed to make use of their chances.

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Supercomputer predicts Boxing Day results as both Liverpool and Manchester United get ready for action - Sportskeeda