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These companies are platforms for users communicating with each other. We shouldn't stand for corp policies medelling with our messages. Imagine if they squash messages critical of the platform, or allowed fast food chains to pay to squash any posts saying their food is unhealthy.

I think this is totally acceptable to block competitors. But it should be an open policy, otherwise how will your clients or users trust you?

Why should customers of a service put up with that service censoring their mentions of other services?

We're not the customers, the advertisers are. And so far the advertisers don't care about this kind of censorship.

Try to get customer service as a non-paying user on Meta platforms, it's horrible and you rarely interact with a real person.

OK, then pretend I said "users" instead of "customers".

It's now like going to Musk's corporate breakroom plastered in sponsors rather than "the internet's town square" as it used to be described.