The Free Speech Case for Section 230: Congress mustn’t revoke the internet’s secret weapon

Aaron Terr in Persuasion:

In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, President Biden argued that “Big Tech companies” must “take responsibility for the content they spread and the algorithms they use.” To that end, Biden wants to “fundamentally reform” the law commonly known as Section 230, which protects online platforms from liability for most content their users post.

The president’s not alone.

For many politicians and critics on both sides of the aisle, the law has become a scapegoat for everything they don’t like about social media. Democrats think it facilitates the spread of hate speech and misinformation. Republicans complain that it lets social media companies freely censor conservatives. Proposals to reform or eliminate Section 230 abound.

But the attacks on Section 230 miss one important thing: it’s vital to free speech and innovation on the internet.

More here.