As it stands today, Section 230 has been what stops various tech companies from facing legal action over content that appears on their sites.
The argument in favor of Section 230 also asserts that these companies are able to protect themselves from bad actors who would bring legal action against them for unsavory reasons or with ulterior motives.
Another plus side of Section 230 for tech companies is their ability to partake in content moderation to their liking. However in recent years, the content moderation of social media sites has come under fire from both the GOP and Democrats; albeit, the two parties have very different reasons that are driving their criticism.
During this week, however, the Supreme Court is going to hear a case that pertains to Section 230, as documented by CNN.
What to Expect in the Upcoming Hearing
Later this week, the Supreme Court is going to hear oral arguments in favor of and against Section 230.
Many Republicans who have issues with how tech companies are moderating content accuse these companies of being biased and trying to have their cake and eat it too.
🚨Fyk v Facebook Supreme Court Petition🚨
The courts / government have robbed everyone of Due Process and Free Speech through the misapplication of Section 230(c)(1) "super-immunity" ~ @SenTedCruz
The Supreme Court must hear this petition to protect all of our rights!
1/13 pic.twitter.com/qLV7AJ98VI
— Jason Fyk (@JasonFyk) February 9, 2023
Meanwhile, Democrats who take issue with tech companies warn that they are not going far enough in handling content that deals with misinformation, potential terrorism, and more.
Several Democratic lawmakers, for instance, have accused tech companies of allowing misinformation on their platforms for the sake of profit.
Ultimately, the upcoming hearing is going to impact what social media sites look like going forward. This is going to have long-lasting ramifications on how people use these platforms and the rules these sites may or may not need to implement.
Americans Weigh In
Ahead of the Supreme Court hearings this week, people have taken to social media to share their thoughts about how this will play out and what the end result should be once the hearings are finished.
Some arguments state that Section 230 is what’s ultimately protecting social media users’ rights to free speech online. There are concerns that if Section 230 goes, then online discourse, debates, and other conversations will go along with it.
Other Americans believe that social media platforms have abused Section 230 and therefore need to tweak their policies.
It was pretty cool to have a chance to share my social media journey with CBS in light of the upcoming Supreme Court case about Section 230 pic.twitter.com/E7r5smSkcw
— Alex Su (@heyitsalexsu) February 18, 2023
At the end of the day, there is unlikely to be an outcome that everyone unanimously agrees with.
Nevertheless, this is a case worth following and paying attention to. In the days ahead, Americans can expect additional updates on various news sites and on, ironically, social media platforms.
What are your thoughts about Section 230? What do you think about how social media companies have chosen to deal with content moderation on their platforms? You’re more than welcome to weigh in down below in the area for comments.
This article appeared in The Conservative Brief and has been published here with permission.
