Has social media become a part of the public square? Sure, the big-name social media firms are all owned by private companies. But have they become so big, and so popular, that they are now entering into the realm of a new, digital public space? If they are, then do companies like Twitter have to respect certain rules that would normally be reserved for public entities – like, for example, the right to freedom of expression?

That's what Joel Bakan is arguing. The Canadian law professor is the author of the documentary movie The Corporation and its recent sequel, The New Corporation. The new film is critical of Silicon Valley, questioning whether big tech has too much influence over our lives. After Twitter denied Bakan the ability to advertise his film on its platform, Bakan decided to take legal action against the company and the Government of Canada.