Social media affects people’s lives in many ways, good and bad. Right now, as the world endures a health crisis, social media has become a lifeline for many people, providing valuable information and helping families and communities stay connected.

At the same time, we know that social media can spread speech that is hateful, harmful and deceitful. In recent years, the question of what content should stay up or come down on platforms like Facebook, and who should decide this, has become increasingly urgent.

(Continue reading the op-ed on The New York Times’ page here.)

Catalina Botero-Marino is a former special rapporteur on freedom of expression of the Organization of the American States. Jamal Greene is a law professor at Columbia. Michael W. McConnell is a law professor at Stanford. Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a former prime minister of Denmark.