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Economists Agree That Stronger Legal Liability for Online Platforms Would Reduce Disinformation

By  |  May 17, 2023

By: Will Macheel (ProMarket)

The US Supreme Court recently heard arguments on two cases concerning Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. The act shields tech companies from being held accountable for user-generated content, while granting publishers the freedom to remove objectionable content. The cases examine whether tech companies should be held responsible for terrorist attacks facilitated through their platforms.

There are concerns about disinformation and political speech bias, leading both liberal and conservative politicians to push for limits on Section 230’s protections. However, the immunity from liability has fueled the growth of social media giants like Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

More than half of the economists surveyed by the Clark Center believe that stronger legal liability for online platforms would help reduce disinformation…

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