Category: communications decency act

Senate bill aims to boost accountability for Section 230 without gutting it

[ad_1] Greater accountability would come by requiring a “defined complaint system” that handles reports and alerts users to moderation actions within two weeks while providing an appeals process. Companies would have 24 hours to remove any content deemed illegal, although smaller outlets would have more leeway for responding to requests and user complaints. The bill […]

DoJ will reportedly limit social media companies’ speech protections

[ad_1] For example, the proposal would not give companies legal immunity in cases involving acts like terrorism, sexual abuse and cyberstalking. Another part of the proposal would also reportedly limit what protection tech companies have in civil cases involving the federal government. The Wall Street Journal reports the proposal also suggests striking a clause that allows online […]

Senators push FCC to take action on Trump’s social media order

[ad_1] Whether or not the senators get what they want is another matter. Reuters noted that FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly saw “very complex issues” behind the order. He previously echoed beliefs that conservatives were being “stifled by liberal tech leaders,” but also said he was “extremely dedicated” to free speech rights. Chairman Pai said in […]

Lawsuit claims Trump’s social media order violates free speech rights

[ad_1] In a statement, CDT chief Alexandra Givens added that Trump’s move was a “direct attack” on free speech. “The government cannot and should not force online intermediaries into moderating speech according to the President’s whims,” she said. Twitter unsurprisingly supports the lawsuit. It pointed Engadget to a statement calling the order a “reactionary and […]

Facebook slams executive order: ‘It will restrict more speech online’

[ad_1] In an earlier interview, Mark Zuckerberg said he didn’t believe it was the “right reflex” to combat censorship with more censorship. “In general, I think a government choosing to censor a platform because they’re worried about censorship doesn’t exactly strike me as the right reflex there,” he said.  He and Facebook are referring to […]

Draft bill could penalize companies for using end-to-end encryption

[ad_1] The draft does ask the commission to consider issues like privacy and security when establishing the practices. However, the 15-person commission would be led by the Attorney General, and current AG William Barr has been a vocal opponent of end-to-end encryption. As the draft law would let Barr modify the rules without a consensus, […]

What happens if the internet’s most important law disappears?

[ad_1] Both Republicans and Democrats are suggesting that the protections this clause offers are too broad to be sustainable. The current administration already weakened it, carving out exceptions for adult content under the auspices of FOSTA/SESTA. Republican Senator Ted Cruz has either misspoken or misrepresented the law to encourage its removal. And senior representatives have […]

Joe Biden says Facebook spreads ‘falsehoods they know to be false’

[ad_1] The topic of Section 230 came up when the New York Times asked Biden about Facebook and the fact that the company rejected his request in October to remove a false Donald Trump attack ad. In one of the more raw moments of the interview, Biden went on the offensive against Mark Zuckerberg and […]

Google, Reddit execs to speak at House hearing on internet moderation

[ad_1] The hearing will also include experts from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Alliance to Counter Crime Online, Boston University and UC Berkeley. There’s no guarantee this will lead to legislation. However, it’s entirely possible that existing laws will face a challenge from both sides of the aisle. Democrats like Beto O’Rourke have argued that internet […]

News anchor sues Facebook, Reddit after creepy photo appears in ads

[ad_1] Hepp said she didn’t know that her photo had been taken, and didn’t remember the name or location of the store. She also wasn’t aware of how the photo might have made its way online. The lawsuit calls on the sites to both take down the pictures and pay damages as compensation. The chances […]