Much more than shopping takes place in a typical mall. But what you won't see is what defines the essence of political discourse. You won't see pamphleteering or demonstrations of a controversial nature. Indeed, the booths and displays will be of a decidedly non-political nature. This, again, is to be expected.
Malls are, after all, privately owned and managed.
They are not, for all their popularity, public spaces. They are private property, and if a mall owner wishes to restrict discourse, he is as free to do so just as you are free to change the channel on your television at home. But when we turn our gaze once again to the internet, the availability of public place is not so clear. And it is for this reason that events such as the Democracy Network takeover raise concerns. Just as mall proprietors restrict discourse in their malls and other places, so also private online space providers restrict discourse in their communities.