Earlier this month the tech giants (Facebook, Apple, and YouTube) announced that they would ban the content of Alex Jones. At the same time, Twitter’s Jack Dorsey explained that Alex Jones had not violated Twitter’s rule and the tech platform would act “impartially regardless of political viewpoints.”

When I heard that he made that statement, I said on radio that he was about to face a huge backlash. I was right. Although he faced criticism from the outside, the most potent came from his fellow employees. A Twitter vice-president sent out an email promising to take appropriate steps to help customers feel safe concerning potential hate speech, and Alex Jones was eventually banned.

David French, in a recent commentary, reminds us that the internal mob in these tech companies is what makes a difference. There may be online outrage and a huge backlash from progressives. But the swift judgment is most effective when there are internal forces in the tech companies.

He reminds us of the decision by Google to fire James Damore. Executives did so in part because employees reacted to his memo and demanded an inclusive environment. Kevin Williamson didn’t last long at the Atlantic because of fears that he would negatively affect workplace relationships.

All of this is important to remember when the tech giants promise to be more open-minded and to defend free speech. They have essentially formed a digital cartel that is rigorously ruled by a progressive corporate culture. Students who graduate from universities that ban conservative speakers and promote identity politics populate these tech companies. They punish their own if they stray from the progressive catechism, so it is highly unlikely they will ever promote true free speech on their platform.