How do we get control over "Big Tech" and solve some of the issues related to how the digital world affects society? One solution suggested by lawmakers and regulators is to revoke Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. As it is currently written, Section 230 protects internet hosting companies from liability for third party content posted on the sites of those companies.

Both US political parties, when evincing concern about the size and power of digital social media companies, claim that the protections for lawsuits afforded by the CDA should be abolished. Both Presidents Biden and Trump have advocated for its revocation. Some see this as a simple way to punish Facebook, Google and Twitter for specific disfavored behavior. But doing so would be substantially more far reaching than anticipated, with effects on every company allowing third party comments or content on their websites. Is that necessarily a bad thing?

Section 230 prevents an interactive computer service from being treated as the publisher of third-party content and protecting websites from many types of lawsuits including defamation. One of the goals of Section 230 was to allow website owners could moderate site content without worrying about legal liability. This includes social media, as well as news outlets. The law is particularly vital for social media networks, but it covers many sites and services, including news outlets, and companies that host online comment sections. What defense would be available to companies like WordPress that host bloggers, MSNBC, Fox News and TMZ that host comments online, and AT&T and Verizon who provide technical hosting? Maybe because of the role that Section 230 plays in protecting internet speech, revocation is a bad thing?

Please discuss the following in your posts:

(1) Will getting rid of Section 230 force hosts to be more responsible with respect to the content posted by their users and how that content impacts the rest of us? Would this encourage hosts to clean up the garbagegratuitousviolence,harmful hate, lies and manipulation? You might want to consider the bombshell testimony of whistleblowerFrances Haugen.

(2) On the other hand, do we want companies to police the internet?Are certain companies overreachingby blocking social media accounts, banning users and regulating content?