Favorite Once again, several Senators appear poised to gut one of the most important laws protecting internet users – Section 230 (47 U.S.C. § 230). Don’t be fooled – many of Section 230’s detractors claim that this critical law only protects big tech. The reality is that Section 230 provides limited protection for all platforms,…
All posts tagged Section 230
Ninth Circuit Correctly Rules That Dating App Isn’t Liable for Matching Users
Favorite The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit correctly held that Grindr, a popular dating app, can’t be held responsible for matching users and enabling them to exchange messages that led to real-world harm. EFF and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit in support of Grindr. Grindr…
First Trump DOJ Assembled “Tiger Team” To Rewrite Key Law Protecting Online Speech
Favorite As President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order in 2020 to retaliate against online services that fact-checked him, a team within the Department of Justice (DOJ) was finalizing a proposal to substantially weaken a key law that protects internet users’ speech. Documents released to EFF as part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)…
EFF to Third Circuit: TikTok Has Section 230 Immunity for Video Recommendations
Favorite UPDATE: On October 23, 2024, the Third Circuit denied TikTok’s petition for rehearing en banc. EFF legal intern Nick Delehanty was the principal author of this post. EFF filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in support of TikTok’s request that the full court reconsider the case…
EFF to Federal Trial Court: Section 230’s Little-Known Third Immunity for User-Empowerment Tools Covers Unfollow Everything 2.0
Favorite EFF along with the ACLU of Northern California and the Center for Democracy & Technology filed an amicus brief in a federal trial court in California in support of a college professor who fears being sued by Meta for developing a tool that allows Facebook users to easily clear out their News Feed. Ethan…
Wanna Make Big Tech Monopolies Even Worse? Kill Section 230
Favorite It’s no fun when your friends ask you to take sides in their disputes. The plans for every dinner party, wedding, and even funeral arrive at a juncture where you find yourself thinking, “Dang, if I invite her, then he won’t come.” It’s even less fun when you’re running an online community, from a…
Sunsetting Section 230 Will Hurt Internet Users, Not Big Tech
Favorite As Congress appears ready to gut one of the internet’s most important laws for protecting free speech, they are ignoring how that law protects and benefits millions of Americans’ ability to speak online every day. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is holding a hearing on Wednesday on a bill that would end Section…
EFF to California Appellate Court: Reject Trial Judge’s Ruling That Would Penalize Beneficial Features and Tools on Social Media
Favorite EFF legal intern Jack Beck contributed to this post. A California trial court recently departed from wide-ranging precedent and held that Snap, Inc., the maker of Snapchat, the popular social media app, had created a “defective” product by including features like disappearing messages, the ability to connect with people through mutual friends, and even…
Podcast Episode: 'I Squared' Governance
Favorite Imagine a world in which the internet is first and foremost about empowering people, not big corporations and government. In that world, government does “after-action” analyses to make sure its tech regulations are working as intended, recruits experienced technologists as advisors, and enforces real accountability for intelligence and law enforcement programs. %3Ciframe%20height%3D%2252px%22%20width%3D%22100%25%22%20frameborder%3D%22no%22%20scrolling%3D%22no%22%20seamless%3D%22%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fplayer.simplecast.com%2Ff16bc667-91d4-4190-9d9e-8e7cd7a64df3%3Fdark%3Dtrue%26amp%3Bcolor%3D000000%22%20allow%3D%22autoplay%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E Privacy info.…
Don’t Fall for the Latest Changes to the Dangerous Kids Online Safety Act
Favorite The authors of the dangerous Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) unveiled an amended version this week, but it’s still an unconstitutional censorship bill that continues to empower state officials to target services and online content they do not like. We are asking everyone reading this to oppose this latest version, and to demand that…