In the recent weeks of October 2022, the popular rapper, producer, and fashion designer, Kanye West, has faced massive controversy after his latest anti-semetic comments on multiple interviews and various social media platforms. Mr. West or as he refers to himself “Ye,” has opened the door to a long and prevalent controversy in modern American society; where is the line between hate speech, and “free” speech on the internet?

A large thread of tweets, rants, and controversial interviews spewing multiple notorious conspiracy theories and remarks targeted against Jewish Americans resulted in the termination of “Ye” from popular social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. Not only has he struck low with online platforms but his remarks resulted in termination of multiple partnerships and contracts with popular companies such as Adidas.

In a recent public statement issued on October 25, Adidas stated that, “Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous…”. Adidas also added that “[Mr. West’s actions] violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect, and fairness.” Additional companies that have terminated partnerships with Mr. West include Balenciaga, Foot Locker, Gap, JPMorgan Chase, and MRC, stating similar reasons to that of Adidas.

The fallout of this controversy not only has been devastating for Mr. West financially, but has also intensified debate over the ethics of free speech and the regulation of speech by corporations on the internet. Many argue that Kanye’s actions online and in interviews demonstrate hate speech, and could rally hate towards Jewish Americans as Mr. West is an incredibly influential celebrity with a large following. Many on the opposing side of that argument claim that Kanye deserves the right to freely voice his opinions on the internet, regardless of how much of an influence he carries. Judging by recent business developments, mainly Elon Musk’s purchase and acquisition of the Twitter platform on October 27 of this year, it is made clear that this issue will not die down anytime soon, and will continue to remain a prevalent issue in American society.