The problem with the huge platforms managing the issue of all kinds of abuse is that it has to be done via algorithm & AI simply due to the numbers involved. The issue with algorithms is that they don’t do nuance.
Dealing with racial or any other form of direct abuse should be relatively easy for them to manage. The issue at the minute is that they’re way too slow to react to reports and it’s also far too easy to create new accounts without any form of verification. As you said earlier they could solve that easily, they’re just choosing not to.
The freedom of speech angle is far more difficult, but I suppose ultimately it comes down to the difference between demonstrable fact and misguided ‘beliefs’. For example, holocaust deniers, should someone who posts on social media that they deny the holocaust happened, have those views censured? My view would be yes, as they’re denying reality and so spreading misinformation. Others would argue that to silence them would be a denial of free speech. Pick the bones out of that one.....my view is that when it comes to freedom of speech that’s a societal issue, and we shouldn’t expect SM platforms to make those calls, unless they choose to, which of course is their complete prerogative.
