A PYMNTS Company

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

By  |  May 17, 2023

By: Will Macheel (ProMarket)

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    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…

    CONTINUE READING…