is there any such thing as a “public” business?

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With all the businesses refusing service to people without mask, and now the Twitter ban, I’m having trouble thinking of a service or business that wouldn’t be eligible to refuse someone. Am I overthinking this?

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5 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The united states postal service is government owned and run but is in almost every way a private company. It is probably the best example of a “public business”. It is not allowed to refuse service to anyone no matter where you live. There is even a semi-famous postal address at the bottom of the grand canyon which is served by a postman riding a donkey. However, this is different from refusing people without masks. Even government buildings can have entry requirements.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Nope. Private business’ can pretty much do as they please. You don’t have any right to be provided a service. But they have rights to refuse service. A “public” business would be like a nationalized healthcare service. Ie paid for by taxes.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Yes, public utilities (electric, water/sewer, etc). Public libraries and community centers also come to mind.

“Public company” is usually a term to describe a company that is publicly traded on the stock market. What you seem describing is pretty much the definition of socialism:

“Socialism: a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole”

Anonymous 0 Comments

Well you cant deny anyone service based on race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. regardless of what kind of business you are.

Other than that, utilities are an example of businesses for public service. You have gas, electric, and water companies in charge of providing that stuff but they cant just write their own terms and conditions and the refuse service to someone based on that because theyve been deemed too important to let any private company control. Which brings me to the idea out that people have floated that tech companies like twitter should be treated as utilities too because the argument is in modern society, access to information and what not is becoming more and more essential to modern life.

Anonymous 0 Comments

(Assuming US law)

There’s a legal term called a “public accommodation”, which refers to things like restaurants, hotels, etc. Those services are not allowed to refuse service to people for a list of reasons, most notably their race, under the Civil Rights Act. These are specific reasons, though, and they can refuse service or kick someone out for other reasons.