Section 230
Controversial 3rd Circuit Decision in TikTok Lawsuit Revives Concern for Section 230 Protections
A 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that a lower court should not have dismissed a case against TikTok has revived concerns about the protections afforded by Section 230, the so-called “First Amendment of the internet.”
Conservative Taxpayers Group Criticizes KOSA's Overreach
Conservative newspaper The Washington Times on Tuesday published an opinion piece by the executive director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, criticizing the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) on constitutional grounds.
Industry Watch: Legal Eagles Assess Turbulence Across the Landscape
Halfway through 2024, and that old adult industry adage is once again confirmed: If it’s an election year in the U.S. — particularly a presidential election year — there will most certainly be a big spike in anti-porn campaigns by politicians seeking to score easy culture war “wins.”
Congressional Republicans, Democrats Renew Attack on Section 230
The ranking members from both parties in the U.S. House of Representatives Communications and Technology Subcommittee have teamed up to propose an end to current liability protections under Section 230, known to digital rights activists as “the First Amendment of the internet.”
Omegle Shut Down as Part of Civil Lawsuit Settlement
Video chat platform Omegle was shuttered earlier this week, reportedly as part of a settlement in a civil lawsuit brought on behalf of a woman who met an alleged abuser through the service when she was a minor.
ACLU, FSC Raise Objections to Senate's New Section 230-Busting Bill
An ACLU-led coalition of civil rights groups and groups representing LGBTQ+ individuals, sex workers, journalists and libraries issued an open letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday warning against the Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment (STOP CSAM) Act.
Ninth Circuit Refuses to Rehear Anti-Porn Lobby's Lawsuit Against Twitter
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday delivered another defeat to the NCOSE-sponsored lawsuit attempting to establish liability for Twitter over user-generated content, denying the plaintiffs a full rehearing.
SCOTUS Rejects NCOSE-Promoted Lawsuit Targeting Reddit
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take up an NCOSE-sponsored case that sought to create liability for Reddit over third-party user material, using FOSTA-SESTA to bypass Section 230 protections.
Supreme Court Upholds Section 230 for Social Media Platforms
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld Section 230, ruling in favor of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube/Google in two cases that were being closely watched by free speech and digital rights advocates.
NCOSE Goes All-In on Banning Adult Content Online With 2023 Target List
Religiously inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE this week released its latest annual “Dirty Dozen” list of companies it is currently targeting, focusing exclusively on online platforms.
Appeals Court Upholds Section 230, Dismisses NCOSE-Sponsored Lawsuit Against Twitter
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit sponsored by anti-porn activists against Twitter over user-uploaded content, upholding Section 230.
Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Potentially Pivotal Section 230 Case
The U.S. Supreme Court today heard oral arguments on the first of two important cases concerning online speech, content moderation and Section 230 protections.
Texas Attorney General Files Brief to Narrow Section 230 Protections
Texas’ Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an amicus brief yesterday urging the U.S. Supreme Court to radically narrow the scope of Section 230 protection for websites.
9th Circuit Upholds Section 230 Protections in Reddit Case
A three-judge Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel has upheld a district court’s dismissal of a civil lawsuit attempting to circumvent Section 230 and hold Reddit liable for third-party content under a federal civil sex trafficking statute.
Sen. Manchin Pushes for Anti-Section 230 Snitching Mandate Targeting 'Suspicious' Content
West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has renewed his efforts to erode Section 230 liability protections by inserting his extremely controversial “See Something, Say Something” bill into the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act.
Utah Senator, Mormon Activist Single Out Adult Sites With 'PROTECT Act'
Utah Senator Mike Lee (R) and Mormon activist Dawn Hawkins, CEO of religiously motivated anti-porn lobby NCOSE, are promoting the PROTECT Act, a proposed federal bill that would make adult websites liable for third-party content.
SCOTUS to Take Up Section 230 Challenges
The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that it will hear two cases that could lead to landmark decisions about Section 230 liability protection for online platforms.
FSC Joins ACLU in Filing Amicus Briefs in Section 230 Cases
Free Speech Coalition has joined civil rights and sex worker rights groups in filing “friend of the court” amicus briefs defending Twitter, Craigslist and Omegle against FOSTA-enabled civil litigation alleging they profited from sex trafficking.
Sen. Ron Wyden, Author of Section 230, Vows to 'Fight Like Hell' to Protect It
In response to a Wired article published today warning that Section 230 is a “last line of defense for abortion speech online,” the law’s co-author Sen. Ron Wyden vowed to “keep fighting like hell" to protect it.
Supreme Court Puts Texas Online Platform Liability Law on Hold
In an unusual 5-4 vote that did not follow ideological lines, the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a controversial Texas social media law that would have made social media platforms liable for moderating content based on what the law defined as “viewpoints.”