WhatsappBig Tech’s ability to censor free speech, under the guise of anti-incitement and spreading fraud has grown so strong that more and more people are getting afraid of the raw power behind new media platforms like Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a democrat from Hawaii has taken the unusual step of supporter President Trump’s push to break apart Big Tech, especially social media platforms. Right now Big tech uses section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) of 1996, which generally provides immunity for website publishers from third-party content.
However, despite the fact that these companies are not held responsible for users’ statements on their platforms, these companies are allowed to censor or ban posts or users due to the “Good Samaritan” clause, which provides protection from civil liability for operators of interactive computer services in the removal or moderation of third-party material they deem obscene or offensive, even of constitutionally protected speech, as long as it is done in good faith.
Big Tech is using the “Good Samaritan” loophole in 230 to get all the protections of the law, while being able to apply censorship for a wide ranging set of offenses, whose application rests with the platform.
It is this loophole that Gabbard and Trump want to fix in order to hold Big Tech responsible for their platforms.
