Sen. Cruz clashes with Sen. Whitehouse on Section 230 as Hawley amendment fails in committee
Section 230 of that law specifically grants services immunity from liability for third party content. Citing social media bias, President Trump has called for that exception to be removed but some, like Shoshana Weissman of the R Street Institute, have defended it from additional changes.
“Currently, Section 230 says that an internet service isn’t liable for other people’s content, including when they choose to moderate content,” she said. “That makes sense. Each person should be liable for his own words. The problem with any legislation that conditions Section 230 immunity on specific speech standards is that making the protections conditional opens up the litigation floodgates that 230 closed. It defeats the purpose of having immunity.”
