Censored Section 230 and the Fight for Free Speech Online

Описание: The First Amendment guarantees the right to free expression, but the American founders could not anticipate the Internet. The lack of explicit protection for speech online presents challenges.

Twenty-five years ago, Congress passed the Communications Decency Act to regulate certain online activities. One key provision, Section 230, ensures that websites are not treated as the publishers of content posted by users; it provides immunity for said websites from user-produced content and allows these websites to moderate offensive content.

However, some believe that Section 230 threatens free speech online. For example, former President Donald Trump declared that Section 230 allows online platforms to engage in “selective censorship” by silencing conservatives on their websites. This raises serious concerns: Can Section 230 be amended or replaced without violating the free speech clause? How can we best promote free expression online?

The CWRU Society for Constitutional Policy welcomes Professor Danielle Citron and Ms. Jennifer Huddleston to present their views regarding free expression and Section 230, and to answer questions from the students and the general audience.

Danielle K. Citron, J.D. is Professor in Law at the University of Virginia and focuses on civil rights, free expression, and privacy. In 2019, she was selected as a MacArthur Fellow based on her work on cyberstalking and intimate privacy. Her work has appeared in the Yale Law Journal, Michigan Law Review, California Law Review, Southern California Law Review, and the Texas Law Review and has been featured in major media outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, Time, the Guardian, and Slate.

Citron has testified before Congress regarding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act as well as the national security and privacy concerns brought on by deepfake technology. She currently works with members and committees in the Senate and House of Representatives on proposed amendments to Section 230.

Jennifer Huddleston, J.D. is the Director of Technology and Innovation Policy at the American Action Forum. Before joining the American Action Forum, Huddleston was a research fellow at the Mercatus Center. Her work focuses on the intersection of law and emerging technology. Her articles have appeared in USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Business Insider, Slate, the New York Daily News, and The Hill.

Huddleston has testified before Congress and state legislatures on technology and law. She is a frequent panelist tackling issues such as transportation innovation, data privacy, and Section 230.