Washington – The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case next month that could impact what users see in their video or social media feeds and more broadly whether companies will need to change their rules on user content due to increased risks of lawsuits.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association was joined in an amicus brief in support of Google’s right to moderate online content by 5 associations: NetChoice, Digital Media Association, Information Technology Industry Council, Interactive Advertising Bureau, and TechNet.
The brief explains how digital services’ content moderation and organization methods have evolved, now including methods that “account for users’ preferences, ensure that users see the content that is most relevant to them. It is a question of personalization, not recommendation. In these instances, the results are driven by the users’ choices, not the operators’.”
This case is the first Section 230 case to be argued before the Supreme Court and crucial for online speech because it could have a broad impact beyond online services and any business that enables user-generated content online.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association has advocated for free speech online for nearly 30 years.
The following can be attributed to CCIA President Matt Schruers:
“No one wants to see extremist content on digital platforms — especially the services themselves. The question is how we achieve that. Section 230 is what allows companies to develop systems and processes to remove dangerous content, and any precedent that ties companies’ hands when it comes to protecting users will result in a more dangerous and less trustworthy internet.”