Broadband Breakfast Club Exclusive Report
March 2023
In the 27 years since the so-called “26 words that created the internet” became law, rapid technological developments and sharp partisan divides have fueled increasingly complex content moderation dilemmas.
Fact-Checking Group Rebuts FCC’s Carr Over 'False Reports'
NewsGuard accuses FCC Chair-designate of using misinformation from low-credibility outlets to target the media watchdog.
If Trump Won, What Would Carr Do as FCC Chairman?
The agency's senior Republican outlined policy priorities in his Project 2025 chapter.
Chicago Diary: What I Saw at the Democratic National Convention
The struggle to balance corporate influence and grassroots demands was prominently felt at the DNC in Chicago.
Harris Accepts Democratic Nomination, Vows Support for Rule of Law and Common Sense
Artificial intelligence only tech or telecom issue mentioned by Harris in acceptance speech.
Data Centers and the Environment
These vast, climate-controlled facilities, housing thousands of servers, support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-making.
Green Energy and the Democrats
Just as crypto has emerged as a tech and infrastructure issue with a heavily Republican tilt, advanced energy may serve a similar role for Democrats.
Artificial Intelligence and Copyright
As AI technology adoption increases, legislators are looking at cracking down on copyright concerns.
After NetChoice, Internet Companies Face Hard Work in Court
Because the states live on to fight for another day, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody also declared victory
Crypto and Republicans: Navigating the Digital Currency Landscape
During the Trump era, GOP lawmakers emerged as vocal advocates for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
Understanding 'Junk Fees' in Broadband
President Joe Biden has made attacking 'junk fees' a key focus of his administration.
Challenges of Broadband Infrastructure Deployment
Rights of way, pole attachments, environmental permitting and other hurdles to broadband infrastructure deployment.
House Witnesses Mixed on Proposed Section 230 Repeal
Meanwhile, lobbying groups and think tanks largely denounced the move.
Navigating the Landscape of U.S. Data Privacy Regulations
There is a renewed focus on how best to protect personal information in an increasingly digital world.
Reps. McMorris Rodgers, Pallone Offer Bill To Repeal Section 230
'Our bill gives Big Tech a choice: Work with Congress to ensure the Internet is a safe, healthy place for good, or lose Section 230 protections entirely,'
The Smart City Blueprint for Urban Innovation
At play in Smart Cities: Data collection, smart infrastructure, IoT, communications technologies, regulations and more.
Unraveling the Complexities of Net Neutrality
Top controversies include 5G network slicing, paid prioritizing and exempting broadband providers from Universal Service Fund contributions.
The Challenge of Spectrum Sharing
At the center of the battle over the airwaves in the United States is the question of spectrum sharing.
The Policy and Law Behind 'Rip and Replace'
The policy and law surrounding the program to remove Chinese telecommunications equipment from U.S. networks.
The FCC's Digital Discrimination Rules
The controversies and details surrounding the FCC's rules to prevent and eliminate digital discrimination.
Supreme Court Skeptical Of Texas, Florida Social Media Content Moderation Laws
Justices Roberts, Kavanaugh and Barrett seemed skeptical of the constitutionality of the Florida and Texas laws.
Senators Grill Tech CEOs Over Child Sexual Exploitation, Section 230
The CEOs defended their platforms, arguing that they are taking actionable steps to protect minors.
Diverse Groups File Amicus Briefs Against Florida and Texas Social Media Laws
The Supreme Court will decide whether the social media laws violate the First Amendment.
Silicon Valley Rep. Anna Eshoo Will Not Seek Reelection
The lawmaker’s Silicon Valley seat will be open for the first time in decades.
A Hidden Issue Potentially Impacting BEAD Implementation: Pole Attachments
Problems accessing poles could delay fiber builds funded by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.
A Deep Dive into the BEAD Program’s Matching Funds
Will the program’s matching funds requirement stretch federal dollars, or hinder smalller providers?
Precursors to BEAD Implementation: A Deep Dive Into Prior Broadband Programs
How will prior broadband programs impact BEAD Implementation?
A Deep Dive into Allocations Under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program
What’s next for BEAD implementation?
Impacts of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022
When President Biden talks about his economic program, the CHIPS Act is the star of the show.
Supreme Court Sides With Google and Twitter, Leaving Section 230 Untouched
A wide range of tech industry associations and civil liberties advocates applauded the decision to leave Section 230 untouched.
White House Meets AI Leaders, FTC Claims Meta Violated Privacy Order, Graham Targets Section 230
The Biden administration announced $140 million in new funding for national AI research.
Revisiting the NTIA's Middle Program Ahead of Funding Announcements
The NTIA is on the cusp of announcing the award winners to the states by June 30, 2023.
Narrowing Section 230 Could Destroy Smaller Platforms, Warns Nextdoor
Many small to mid-sized platforms operate on a business model that relies on content moderation.
Green Energy Provisions Meet Smart Grid and Broadband Infrastructure
Advances for the green economy in the Inflation Reduction Act rely upon smart grid infrastructure.
Additional Content Moderation for Section 230 Protection Risks Reducing Speech on Platforms: Judge
People will migrate from platforms with too stringent content moderation measures.
Preview the Start of Broadband Breakfast’s Big Tech & Speech Summit
Watch the start of the Big Tech & Speech Summit from March 9. Sign up for full webcast.
Section 230 Shuts Down Conversation on First Amendment, Panel Hears
The law prevents discussion on how the first amendment should be applied in a new age of technology, says expert.
Panelists Recommend More Concentrated Focus on Federal Privacy Legislation
The federal parties have opposite aims as to what to do about Section 230.
Congress Should Amend Section 230, Senate Subcommittee Hears
Experts urged Congress to amend tech protection law to limit protection for the promotion of harmful information.
Industry Experts Caution Against Extreme Politicization in Section 230 Debate
Reforming Section 230 may not ‘break the internet,’ but experts recommended that changes be targeted and incremental.
State of the Net Panelists Clash Over Section 230 Interpretations
Panelists discussed the recent oral arguments in Gonzalez v. Google.
Supreme Court Justices Express Caution About Entering Section 230 Debate
During oral arguments for Gonzalez v. Google, justices repeatedly voiced concerns about potential unintended consequences.
What to Know About Build America, Buy America Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Will providers be required to use equipment that is not readily available within the United States?
Section 230 Interpretation Debate Heats Up Ahead of Landmark Supreme Court Case
Panelists disagreed over the merits of Section 230’s protections and the extent to which they apply.
Supreme Court Seeks Biden Administration’s Input on Texas and Florida Social Media Laws
The court has not yet agreed to hear the cases, but multiple justices have commented on their importance.
Google Defends Section 230 in Supreme Court Terror Case
‘Section 230 is critical to enabling the digital sector’s efforts to respond to extremist[s],’ said a tech industry supporter.
What You Need to Know About the FCC’s Maps and the Challenge Process
The Broadband Breakfast Report for January 2023 lays out the things to know about the challenge process.
CES 2023: Changing Section 230 Would Jeopardize Startup
Without Section 230, platforms whose actions are legally justified could be subject to ruinous lawsuits.
Amid Big Tech Controversies, Section 230’s Future is Uncertain
The Supreme Court is preparing to hear two cases related to content moderation and platform liability.
Tech Groups, Free Expression Advocates Support Twitter in Landmark Content Moderation Case
The Supreme Court’s decision could dramatically alter the content moderation landscape.
The 12 Days of Broadband (2022 Edition)
Broadband Breakfast presents the first of its annual '12 Days of Broadband' series about the top 12 stories of the year.
Premium Reports
The Breakfast Club produces exclusive, Premium Reports on actionable topics of broadband policy and internet technology.
Narrow Majority of Supreme Court Blocks Texas Law Regulating Social Media Platforms
The decision resulted in an unusual court split. Justice Kagan sided with Justice Alito but refused to sign his dissent.
Parler Policy Exec Hopes ‘Sustainable’ Free Speech Change on Twitter if Musk Buys Platform
Parler’s Amy Peikoff said she wishes Twitter can follow in her social media company’s footsteps.
Leave Section 230 Alone, Panelists Urge Government
The debate on what government should — or shouldn’t — do with respect to liability protections for platforms continues.
Broadband Breakfast for Lunch on May 11, 2022 – Elon Musk Goes to Washington
Will Twitter’s new owner change the debate about social media?
Researcher: Algorithms Cannot Be Blamed for Disinformation, But They Contribute to It
Columbia University researcher shared her perspectives at event hosted by The Atlantic that featured former President Barack Obama.
Reforming Section 230 Won’t Help With Content Moderation, Event Hears
Government is ‘worst person’ to manage content moderation.
Former GOP Congressman and UK MP Highlight Dangers of Disinformation and Urge Regulation
Will Hurd and Member of Parliament Damien Collins say disinformation on social media platforms a worry in midterm elections.
Greene, Paul Social Media Developments Resurface Section 230 Debate
Five days into the new year and two developments bring Section 230 protections back into focus.
‘The Time for Self-Regulation is Over’: House Committee Member Wants Action on Big Tech
And the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League calls for Section 230 reform.
Frances Haugen, U.S. House Witnesses Say Facebook Must Address Social Harms
The former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower said the company must be accountable for the social harm it causes.
TPI New Broadband Map, Justice Dept. Stands for Section 230, Ericsson Looks to Acquire Vonage
TPI released their broadband map, which tracks speeds, availability, and adoption rates across the country.
Experts Warn Against Total Repeal of Section 230
Panelists note shifting definition of offensive content.
Facebook Lobbying Congress on Blockchain Policy
The registration comes after the company rebranded to Meta, taking it beyond its social media origins.
Democrats Use Whistleblower Testimony to Launch New Effort at Changing Section 230
The Justice Against Malicious Algorithms Act seeks to target large online platforms that push harmful content.
TPRC Conference to Discuss Definition of Section 230, Broadband, Spectrum and China
Broadband Breakfast briefly breaks down the topics to be discussed at the TPRC conference.
Repealing Section 230 Would be Harmful to the Internet As We Know It, Experts Agree
While some advocate for a tightening of language, other experts believe Section 230 should not be touched.
Judge Rules Exemption Exists in Section 230 for Twitter FOSTA Case
Latest lawsuit illustrates the increasing fragility of Section 230 legal protections.
Facebook, Google, Twitter Register to Lobby Congress on Section 230
Companies also want to discuss cybersecurity, net neutrality, taxes and privacy.
FCC C-Band 5G Licenses, Proposed Antitrust Bill Harms Startups, Klobuchar Bill Takes Heat
FCC prioritizes mid-band spectrum, proposed antitrust bill will damage startups, Amy Klobuchar’s proposed Section 230 reform takes on heat.
Proposed Bill Takes Aim at Misinformation on Social Media Platforms
Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced a bill Thursday to remove Section 230 protections for vaccine misinformation.
Companies May Hesitate Bringing Section 230 Arguments in Court Fearing Political Ramifications: Lawyers
Legal experts say changing views on Section 230 will make platforms less willing to employ that defense in future cases.
Trump Files Suit Against Tech Giants, N.Y. Gets $21M for Broadband, Default Apps Dominate
Trump files class-action against major tech firms, New York gets $21M for rural internet, default apps get most use.
Justices Mull Social Media Review, US-EU Trade Summit, The Communicators Going Off Air
Supreme Court Justices call for social media review, aftermath of EU-US trade summit, popular TV program on American tech cancelled.
New Section 230 Legislation, BAI Agrees to Buy Mobilitie, NATOA Awards Open
New Section 230 legislation introduced, BIA to buy Mobilitie, and nominations for the NATOA awards are now open.
Head of Big Tech Lobby Group Says Repealing Section 230 Unconstitutional
CTA CEO said abolishing intermediary liability protections violates private industry protections against government interference.
Big Tech Must Take More Hands-Off Approach to Content to Build Trust, Expert Says
Expert warns Big Tech must adopt hands-off approach to regain public trust.
Broadband Breakfast Hosts Section 230 Debate
Two sets of experts debated the merits of reforming or removing and maintaining Section 230.
Despite Speculation, Section 230 Is Here to Stay: Rep. Bob Latta
Republican representative Bob Latta said Section 230 is not going anywhere anytime soon.
AT&T Settles Overcharging Complaint, DeSantis Social Media Bill, Ohio Broadband, The Case For Broadband for All
AT&T settles for $1.5 million, DeSantis signs social media law, Ohio broadband fund, and broadband for all.
Explainer: With Florida Social Media Law, Section 230 Now Positioned In Legal Spotlight
As Florida’s governor signs new social media law, Section 230 is on a collision course with reform and the law.
Biden Revokes Trump-Era Executive Order Designed To Crack Down On Big Tech
Biden orders FCC and FTC to stand down on Trump-era order targeting social media companies.
Section 230 Has Coddled Big Tech For Too Long, Says Co-Author of Book on Amazon
Co-author of “The Amazon Jungle” says Section 230 has allowed Big Tech to get away with far too much.
Government’s Reactive Nature Hobbling Tech Regulation, Expert Says
Congress may need another big tech breach to move earnestly on regulation, says consultant.
Sen. Mike Lee Promotes Bills Valuing Federal Spectrum, Requiring Content Moderation Disclosures
April 5, 2021 – Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said Friday spectrum used by federal agencies is not being utilized efficiently, following legislation he introduced early last year that would evaluate the allocation and value of federally-reserved spectrum. The Government Spectrum Valuation Act, or S.553 and
Silberman Dissent Rails Against Big Tech, Space Force Broadband, North Carolina Public Private Partnerships
March 29, 2021—Judge Laurence Silberman has worn many hats throughout his career—diplomat, lawyer, jurist—and he may now add “staunch critic of big tech” to his list of titles. Silberman wrote the dissenting opinion in Tah v. Global Witness Publishing, released on March 19 by the D.C. Circuit Court
Pressed by Congress, Big Tech Defends Itself and Offers Few Solutions After Capitol Riot
March 26, 2021 – The heads of the largest social media companies largely defended their platforms, reiterated what they’ve done, and offered few solutions to the problems that ail them during a congressional hearing Thursday. But, under harsh questioning from the House Energy and Commerce Committee,
Sen. Mark Warner Says His Section 230 Bill Is Crafted With Help of Tech Companies
March 23, 2021 – Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, said he and his staff are in “regular contact” with big tech representatives about Section 230 reform. “Both my staff and I are in regular contact with a host of individuals on the tech side,” Warner said Monday at a Protocol webinar discussing internet
Trevor Wagener: State Regulation of Content Moderation Would Create Enormous Legal Costs for Platforms
Dozens of bills regulating internet content moderation have been proposed in at least 30 state legislatures, and one in Utah currently sits on the governor’s desk awaiting his veto or signature. If enacted, many of the bills would impose prescriptive state regulations governing internet content mode
Changes to Section 230 Might Lead To Removal of Legitimate Speech, Subtract from Historical Record
March 17, 2021 – Changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act may not lead to the solution that America wants or needs, said panelists during a South by Southwest event Tuesday. Section 230 grants immunity to social media platforms for user-generated content. It’s an increasingly visible
Section 230 Reform Requires Citizen Participation, Says Sen. Amy Klobuchar
In the conversation to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which governs liability for internet intermediaries, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn, said Tuesday the public must get involved. “We can’t fight Google and other million-dollar companies with duct tape and Band-Aids,” Klobuchar
Supporters of Section 230 Agreed About Concerns, But Counterarguments Dominated Panel Discussion
February 13, 2021 – With many current proposals to revise Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, supporters of the landmark internet law on Tuesday discussed how new proposals could heavily interfere with the First Amendment. The general angst about how people are using the internet badly, c
Former FCC Commissioners Reflect on Changes Since 1996 Telecommunications Act
February 9, 2021 – As 2021 marks the 25-yearanniversary of the Telecommunications Act, former Federal Communications Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Harold Furchtgott-Roth reminisced Monday on their time in Congress as staff members when the law was passed. The Hudson Institute hosted the conversati
Tread Carefully if Section 230 is to Be Changed, Experts Say at INCOMPAS Event
February 8, 2021—Amending too rashly or quickly the internet intermediary liability provision of the Telecommunications Act will harm smaller companies and new entrants but won’t have the intended impact on larger players, according to experts. Former President Donald Trump has often complained abou
Social Media Needs to Be Held Accountable to a Higher Standard Than No Standard
February 8, 2021— The spread of disinformation and misinformation can be controlled if the same rules on transparency required of the broadcast industry are applied to social media, an Atlantic Council webinar heard Wednesday. That includes making changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency
Reforming Section 230 Will Benefit Some, Wound Others, and Confuse All
January 27, 2021—Legislation to change Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act stands to benefit some, wound others, and downright confuse all. Discussions over whether the Internet should be moderated, and how, ensued between a panel of communications policy experts during a Cato Institute we
Crackdown on Online Conspiracy Speakers After January 6 Highlights Need for Platform Accountability
WASHINGTON, January 14, 2021 – The power of big technology companies has been on display in the week since the insurrection of January 6, as platform companies have clamped down on speakers and web sites promoting violence and conspiracies, said panelists in a Broadband Breakfast Live Online event o
Special Broadband Breakfast Live Online Town Hall on Section 230 on Wednesday, January 13, 2021
See, “Crackdown on Online Conspiracy Speakers After January 6 Highlights Need for Platform Accountability,” Broadband Breakfast, January 14, 2021 Our Broadband Breakfast Live Online events take place every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET. You can watch the January 13, 2021, event on this page. You can also
Senate Judiciary Committee Teases, and Then Pulls, Bills Dramatically Narrowing Section 230 Protections
January 2, 2021 — When the Senate reconvenes on Sunday at 11:45 a.m., the body will gavel in for the first session of the 117th Congress. All bills not passed as of Friday, January 1, 2021 – the last day Congress was in session – will die. One of those bills is the Eliminating Abusive […]
Trump Follows Through on Threat to Veto Defense Bill, Citing Failure to Repeal Landmark Internet Law
December 23, 2020 — President Donald Trump on Wednesday followed through on his threat to veto the annual defense appropriations bill over the unrelated issue of liability for internet content. In a statement from Trump to the House of Representatives released today, he wrote, “I am returning, witho
Section 230 Author Calls SESTA-FOSTA a Cautionary Tale of the Dangers of Altering Intermediary Liability Shield
December 15, 2020 — At a moment in which many are calling for the repeal or revision of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, from President Donald Trump to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham to President-elect Joe Biden (by some statements), the Electric Frontier Foundation
Senate Commerce Committee Advances FCC Nominee Nathan Simington to Floor Debate
December 2, 2020 — This Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Wednesday morning voted 14-12 to advance Federal Communications Commission nominee Nathan Simington to the Senate chamber floor. While the full Senate will still have to consider his nomination, the committee’s part
In Discussing ‘Broadband and the Biden Administration,’ Trump and Obama Transition Workers Praise Auctions
November 22, 2020 – In the event that the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden seeks substantial funding for broadband infrastructure, there is a strong likelihood that such monies would be channeled through a reverse-auction mechanism, said panelists at the Broadband Breakfast Live
GOP Senators Call Platforms ‘Publishers’ and Want to Strip Section 230 Protections, and Dems Aren’t Fans Either
November 17, 2020 – In the second major showdown between the CEOs of Twitter and Facebook and senators within less than three weeks, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and John Kennedy of Louisiana said the social media platforms needed to be treated as common publish
INCOMPAS Predicts Prompt Action on Net Neutrality
November 16, 2020 – Officials associated with INCOMPAS, the Internet and Competitive Networks Association, on Thursday predicted that there would be action on net neutrality sooner than expected with the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden. Predicting that the new administration wou
Proposals to Curtail Section 230 Gather Steam Among Journalists and Thinkers at Reboot Event
November 11, 2020 – The pervasiveness of the debate over recrafting Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is even impacting discussions about the future of journalism. Speaking on Tuesday at the final day of the Lincoln Network’s Reboot conference, Alberto Ibarguen, CEO of the John S. and Ja
President Trump’s FCC Nominee Grilled on Section 230 During Senate Confirmation Hearing
November 10, 2020 — Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation grilled President Donald Trump’s proposed nominee to the Federal Communications Commission, Nathan Simington, on his stance on the FCC’s jurisdiction to interpret Section 230, during a nominations hearing on
Google, Facebook and Twitter Defend Themselves as GOP Slams Big Tech and Dems Mock Hearing
October 30, 2020 – Tech platform companies Google, Facebook, and Twitter said they not in favor of redefining the phrase, “otherwise objectionable,” that has become a key source of controversy in the political firestorm surrounding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The CEOs of the three
FCC Chairman Under Trump Declares Agency’s Authority to Define Language on Political Speech
October 16, 2020 – The Federal Communications Commission dove deep into political territory on Thursday by declaring that the agency had authority to rule on questions pertaining to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The move was widely criticized by technology industry and public advoca
Joint Center Calls Trump’s Proposed Changes to Section 230 an Attempt to ‘Work the Referees’
October 7, 2020 – Spencer Overton, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, on Tuesday said that the Trump Administration’s proposal on Section 230 would eliminate the ability of tech platforms to remove otherwise “objectionable” content, such as election disinformation. Whi
Brendan Carr Thinks FCC Has Section 230 Authority, But Not Others at Communications Association Event
September 29, 2020 – Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr was the odd man out in a conversation about Section 230 in that he actually believes that his agency has the authority to interpret the significant internet statute, he said. In a Thursday discussion hosted by the Federal Communic
INCOMPAS Opposes Commerce Department’s Proposal to Redefine Language of Section 230
September 24, 2020 — Although much of the focus over proposed changes to Section 230 centers around how Big Tech enjoys immunity from liability for user-generated content, policy-makers should not loose sight of how rolling back Section 230 would hamper new entrants. That’s the message delivered by
FCC’s Brendon Carr Urges Changes to Section 230, Says His Approach Supports First Amendment
September 17, 2020 – Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr on Wednesday advocated greater transparency by social media and internet platforms at an event called “Reboot Conversations: The Right’s Tech Realignment, Section 230, and What Comes Next.” Carr said he believed that Section 230
Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks Attacks Trump Administration Section 230 Petition
September 14, 2020 — Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks on Wednesday blasted the Trump administration for its efforts to impose President Donald Trump’s political agenda upon an independent agency. Speaking during a webinar hosted by the Center for Democracy and Technology, Starks c
Trump Justice Department Says Section 230 Changes Needed to Target ‘Bad Samaritans’ and Enforce Transparency
September 1, 2020 – Justice Department attorney Lauren Willard said that the Trump administration wanted to change Section 230 to incentivize big tech platforms to address criminal activity and to provide transparency when they take down lawful content. Speaking at an American Bar Association webina
Mignon Clyburn, Coy on Future Federal Communications Commission Role, Says Agency Lacks Authority to Clarify Section 230
August 6, 2020 – Former Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said that the FCC does not have the authority to clarify Section 230, speaking in a wide-ranging Broadband Breakfast Live Online interview on Wednesday. The event, part of Broadband Breakfast’s “Champions of Broadband” series
Senators Discuss Section 230 Shortcomings and Potential Reforms
July 28, 2020 — Senators on Tuesday remained broadly divided on the extent and direction that changes to Section 230 should take. The tenor of the discussion at a Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee hearing suggested that the law was overdue for an overhaul, as senator after senator criticiz
Commerce Department Asks Federal Communications Commission to Reconsider Section 230 Protections
July 27, 2020 — The U.S. Commerce Department under the Trump administration on Monday followed through on the president’s orders and filed a petition asking the Federal Communications Commission to issue proposed rules narrowing the protections of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. “A ha
New BroadbandNow Report, Trump’s Dangerous Section 230 Precedent, Zuckerberg Calls ‘Secret Deal’ Ridiculous
Roughly one million school-aged children live in counties with less than 50 percent wired broadband coverage, BroadbandNow found in a new report. Of these counties, over 230,000 have poverty rates of over 30 percent. The report found that numerous areas across the United States are woefully unprepar
Social Media Platforms Should Increase Algorithm Transparency, Say Broadband Breakfast Live Online Panelists
July 16, 2020 — Social media companies need to “open up” their algorithms, said participants in a Broadband Breakfast panel on Wednesday. The event, titled “Public Input on Platform Algorithms: The Role of Transparency and Feedback in High-Tech,” saw participants discuss the role of transparency in
Social Media Not About Publisher Versus Platform, Says Expert Author on Section 230
July 13, 2020 — Social media moderation will inevitably be biased to some degree, said Jeff Kosseff, assistant professor of cybersecurity law at the United States Naval Academy and author of The Twenty-Six Words that Created the Internet. “I mean, they’re anecdotal reports, and what the anecdotal re
Online Speech Has Harmful Effects on Both Individuals and Society, According to Mary Anne Franks
July 10, 2020 — A letter signed by over 150 prominent intellectuals and artists was published by Harper’s Magazine on Tuesday, warning against an “intolerant culture” engulfing American values. “As writers, we need a culture that leaves us room for experimentation, risk taking, and even mistakes,” t
Section 230 is Essential and Broadly Misunderstood, Say Panelists at Broadband Breakfast Live Online Event
July 8, 2020 — Despite the hate that big tech companies receive, social media platforms are essential in enabling online speech at the level seen today, with the help of Section 230, said Cathy Gellis, an attorney who specializes in internet intermediary law. Gellis made her remarks at the second ev
Parler, Gab, and Section 230: Right-Leaning Social Networks Push Alternative to Twitter and Facebook
July 7, 2020 — Many conservatives have long accused popular social media platforms of discriminating against their ideas, but that feeling reached a new urgency in late May when Twitter flagged several of President Donald Trump’s tweets for touting unsubstantiated claims and glorifying violence. The
Content Moderation Experts Discuss Future of Section 230 in Broadband Breakfast Live Online Event
July 6, 2020 — The role of a content moderator is to be both a judge and a janitor of the internet, according to Alex Feerst, general counsel at Neuralink. In a Broadband Breakfast Live Online event on Wednesday, a panel of content moderation experts joined moderator Drew Clark, editor and publisher
EARN IT Act, Impacting Section 230, Advances in Senate with New Encryption Amendment
June 2, 2020 —The heavily contested Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act advanced out of the Senate Judiciary committee, with the addition of a new amendment. During a Thursday hearing, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., pushed for an amendment that would ban state and fed
Broadband Breakfast Live Online Launches Series on ‘Section 230: Separating Fact from Fiction,’ in Partnership with CCIA
WASHINGTON, June 29, 2020 – Broadband Breakfast announced that its Broadband Breakfast Live Online webcast series will focus, for the first three weeks of July 2020, on “Section 230: Separating Fact from Fiction,” a series produced in partnership with the Computer & Communications Industry Associati
Section 230 Under Attack From the Right and the Left
June 26, 2020 — The debate over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act spans a broad range of views, with some arguing that it essentially plays the same role as the First Amendment and others claiming that it wrongfully enables significant abuse. Speaking at a Yale Law School webinar on Thur
The Authors of Section 230 Discuss the Law, 25 Years Later
June 25, 2020 — Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and former Congressman Chris Cox, authors of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, joined technology policy journalist Ashley Gold to defend the importance of the law, 25 years after its original passage. “We thought people should be focused on ideas,
Republican Communications Commissioners Decline to Support Additional Broadband Funding, Also Blast Big Tech
June 24, 2020 — The Federal Communications Commission needs increased funding of an unknown amount for its broadband subsidy projects, said Comissioners Michael O’Rielly and Brendan Carr in a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing Wednesday. When Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D
Without Section 230, Tech Platforms Would be Afraid to Either Leave Content Up or Take it Down, Say Panelists
June 24, 2020 — In the wake of yet another clash between Twitter and President Donald Trump, the question of how social media platforms should be conducting content moderation has no clear answer, industry experts agreed Wednesday. “Often these debates about content moderation are strange to me beca
Trump’s Section 230 Order is Direct Regulation of Speech Long Feared by GOP
June 23, 2020 — Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has played an important role in the shifting center of power on the internet, but where that center of power should reside going forward is a hotly contested topic. “The story of whether 230 is deregulatory is … a complicated story, becau
Under Section 230, Should Tech Platforms Be Able to Exercise Editorial Control and Still Avoid Liability?
June 22, 2020 — Legal experts disagreed on Monday about whether Section 230 is exacerbating or helping to solve problems with the current state of online content moderation. “I think the real friction point is because Section 230 is counterintuitive — it says that you can exercise control and not be
Revisions to Section 230 Would be Fraught With Dangerous Implications, Say Lincoln Network Panelists
June 17, 2020 — Conversations around the removal or revision of Section 230 are often fraught with treacherous implications for free speech online, said participants in a Wednesday Lincoln Network webinar. Panelists discussed an NBC News report from Tuesday, which incorrectly claimed that Google’s a
Section 230 Executive Order Questioned by Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks and Legal Experts
June 17, 2020 — “Section 230 is on fire in D.C.,” said Eric Goldman, professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law, at a Wednesday webinar hosted by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation. Panelists on the webinar discussed President Donald Trump’s recent executive order regardin
TechFreedom Asks Supreme Court to Review Section 230 Case
June 12, 2020 — Left unchecked, a recent court decision on Section 230 might lead to the internet suffering what a 2008 ruling called “death by ten thousand duck-bites,” according to TechFreedom Senior Fellow Berin Szóka. “Unless the Supreme Court reverses this decision, schools, libraries, and the
Broadband Roundup: 5G Conspiracies, Content Moderation Confusion, RDOF Expansion
June 8, 2020 — Conspiracies surrounding the effects of new 5G towers on human health could stall the development of technologies that could help the U.S.’s most vulnerable maintain their livelihoods, Federal Communications Commission General Counsel Thomas Johnson Jr. wrote in a Washington Post op-e
Zoom Sued Over Claims of Security Failures
June 4, 2020 — Victor M. Rios, associate dean at the University of California Santa Barbara, has filed a class action against Zoom Video Communications, Inc. Rios is accusing the company of allowing a known offender who had been reported multiple times to authorities to Zoombomb a 400-person video c
President Trump’s Anti-Section 230 Executive Order ‘Radical,’ says Sen. Ron Wyden
June 3, 2020 — The actions that President Donald Trump has taken to punish tech companies for alleged anti-conservative discrimination are radical, said Section 230 co-author Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in an Aspen Institute webinar Tuesday. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects tech pl
Defending Donald Trump Over Twitter, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr Says President’s Attacks on Section 230 Are Constitutional
June 2, 2020 — Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr on Monday defended President Donald Trump’s attempts to punish Twitter’s fact-checking practices and said they were not in violation of the First Amendment. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects electronic forums like T
At Silicon Flatirons, UN Representative Says World Must Stand By Twitter in Battle of Intimidation with Trump
May 30, 2020 — Twitter’s response to Donald Trump’s attempt to subjugate the platform over its actions will have serious consequences for the future of free speech in the U.S., according to participants on a Silicon Flatirons webcast posted Friday. “When you see Section 230 trending, you know someth
Amid Responses to Section 230 Executive Order, Trump-Twitter Dispute Over ‘Censorship’ Continues to Escalate
May 29, 2020 — President Donald Trump continued to rage against Twitter over allegations of censorship by the company in a series of tweets on Friday, the day after signing a controversial executive order calling for a reevaluation of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The order was wide
Trump Preparing to Sign Executive Order Curbing Section 230 Protections for Social Media
May 28, 2020 — President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that would eliminate protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act for big technology platform companies, or at least refocus how Section 230 is applied, according to a report from The New York Times Thur
Big Tech Must Combat Child Sexual Abuse Material Online or Lose Section 230 Protection, Say Senators
WASHINGTON, March 12, 2020 – Cracks in the edifice of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act continued to expand at a Wednesday Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Senators confronted tech platform companies with an ultimatum: Fight against child pornography or forfeit Section 230 protections
Deputy Attorney General Blames Big Tech for Using Section 230 to ‘Enable Harm’
WASHINGTON, March 12, 2020 – “Is this third industrial revolution over? And if so, why?” That was the question Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen posed to the attendees of the Free State Foundation conference on Tuesday. “Some say innovation in the U.S. has been on the decline for the past two de
Panelists at CATO Institute Fiercely Disagree Over Whether Big Tech is Biased and Left-Leaning
WASHINGTON, March 10, 2020 – A CATO Institute panel on Tuesday discussing whether accusations of political censorship warrant Section 230 reform was a tense microcosm of the divided debate over big tech and online speech. Panelists clashed over Section 230 reform in response to conservative allegati
Despite A Significant Role in Shaping the Online World, the Future of Section 230 is Still Unknown
WASHINGTON, March 10, 2020 – CATO Institute Vice President John Samples on Tuesday compared the continually changing territory that Section 230 occupies in the broadband world to the coronavirus. While the past of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is constantly examined, the future of th
Attorney General Bill Barr Calls for ‘Recalibrated’ Section 230 as Justice Department Hosts Tech Immunity Workshop
WASHINGTON, February 19, 2020 – Attorney General William Barr laid out the case for “recalibrating” Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in response to what he called a concentrated power over information that resides in the hands of Silicon Valley tech companies. Because “the big tech plat
State of the Net Panelists Fiercely Defend Section 230 as a Crucial Protection of Free Speech
WASHINGTON, January 28, 2020 – Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act may be controversial in some parts of this city, but at the State of the Net conference here, panelists were unanimous in highlighting the detrimental effects that would come from amendments to the law. In spite of bipartis
In Interview With New York Times Editorial Board, Joe Biden Urges Revoking Section 230
WASHINGTON, January 22, 2020 – Former Vice President Joe Biden called for the repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a piece of legislation passed in 1996 that has proved pivotal to the growth of computer networks and social media. In an interview conducted by The New York Times
Section 230 Immunity Isn’t Popular in Many Places. But at CES 2020, Techies Huddle and Applaud the Law
A group of panelists assembled at CES 2020, the world’s largest technology conference, countered the increasingly-controversial reputation that has recently enveloped Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The general consensus of the Wednesday panel at the Las Vegas trade show sponsored was
Internet Industry Under the Microscope as House Committee Grills Witnesses on Liability for Online Content
WASHINGTON, October 16, 2019 – The chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday said that technology companies need to “step up” and better address challenges surrounding online content. If not, they will likely have to navigate a world in which Section 230 of the Communication D
Part IV: As Hate Speech Proliferates Online, Critics Want to See and Control Social Media’s Algorithms
WASHINGTON, August 22, 2019 — Lurking at the corners over the renewed debate over Section 230 the Communications Decency Act is this question: Who gets to control the content moderation process surrounding hate speech? Even as artificial intelligence is playing a greater role in content moderation o
Part III: The GOP Wants to Kill the Fairness Doctrine, Then Applies It to the Internet
WASHINGTON, August 21, 2019 — Questions of political neutrality and social media bias have been at the forefront of the ongoing debate over the Communications Decency Act’s Section 230. Some of these claims are frequently compared to another controversial law: The Fairness Doctrine. “The idea that g
Part II: Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz Want to Repeal Section 230 and Break the Internet
WASHINGTON, August 20, 2019 — Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has been termed one of the most important and most misunderstood laws governing the internet. In recent months, prominent critics from both sides of the aisle have called for the statute to either be repealed or altered so s
A Short History of Online Free Speech, Part I: The Communications Decency Act Is Born
WASHINGTON, August 19, 2019 — Despite all the sturm und drang surrounding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act today, the measure was largely ignored when first passed into law 23 years ago. A great deal of today’s discussion ignores the statute’s unique history and purposes as part of the
House Homeland Security Committee Issues Subpoena to the Owner of 8chan Internet Site
WASHINGTON, August 14, 2019 — The Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee have issued a subpoena to compel testimony from the owner of 8chan, the controversial internet message board site which has played a role in at least three mass shootings this year. On Wednesday, C
Bipartisan Committee Leadership Calls to Remove Tech Immunity From U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement
WASHINGTON, August 6, 2019 — The United States should be cautious about including language similar to the Communication Decency Act’s Section 230 in trade agreements, wrote two members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Article 19.17
Sen. Josh Hawley Speaks to the Snapchat Generation, Babysitting Them With 30 Minutes a Day on Social Media
WASHINGTON, August 1, 2019 — Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., took the stage at the National Conservative Student Conference on Wednesday to thunderous applause and dozens of phones held in the air to capture his entry on Snapchat and Instagram. But Hawley, the youngest member of the Senate, is no friend to
Without Section 230, Digital Platforms ‘Would Not Be Able to Exist,’ Panelists Said
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2019 — Policy experts and tech executives emphatically defended the controversial Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act at an Internet Governance Forum conference on Thursday. The statute, which has been the target of attacks from both sides of the aisle in recent weeks,
Is or Isn’t Google Politically Neutral? Senators From the Left and the Right Ponder the Question
WASHINGTON, July 22, 2019 — With great power comes great responsibility. And now Google, which insists that it is not slanting search results based upon political leanings, is under attack from both the left and the right. At a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing last Tuesday — titled “Google and
Panelists, Including Facebook Executive, Call For Increased Content Moderation
WASHINGTON, July 22, 2019 — The primary responsibility of moderating online platforms lies with the platforms themselves, making Section 230 protections essential, said panelists at New America’s Open Technology Institute on Thursday. Although some policymakers are attempting to solve the problem of
Harold Feld Argues That Increased Regulation Will Be More Successful than Breaking Up Big Tech
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2019 — Rather than seeking to break up big technology giants, Congress should instead focus on ratcheting up regulation of the online platform players to curb their greatest abuses, public interest advocate Harold Feld argued on Monday. Feld, the author of the recent e-book, “Th
Senators Cruz and Hawley Demand Federal Trade Commission Investigation of Big Tech’s Content Moderation
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2019 — Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley want the Federal Trade Commission to use its investigatory authority to demand internal documents and information pertaining to content moderation policies at major technology companies like Google, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, and to r
Tech Freedom and Other Advocacy Groups Push Back Against Growing Pressure to Modify Section 230
WASHINGTON, July 11, 2019 – Pushing back against a growing group of critics on the right and the left, the pro-free-market pro-free-speech group Tech Freedom on Thursday released a set of seven principles and online resources designed to “guide conversation about amending Section 230.” As the princi
FCC Overturns SF Broadband Ordinance, IBM Seeks Section 230 Changes, AT&T Blocks Robocalls
At Wednesday’s Federal Communications Commission meeting, the agency voted to preempt part of a San Francisco ordinance that promotes broadband competition in apartment buildings and other multi-tenant structures. Ars Technica summarized how FCC Chairman Ajit Pai‘s plan partially overturns San Franc
Big Tech and FTC Under Attack at Senate Hearing
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2019 — YouTube has been “inadequate and abysmally slow in responding” to recent allegations that its algorithms promote child sexualization, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday.
If big tech companies don’t take sufficient steps to protect children from exploitation on
Rural Facilities Still Not Using Telehealth, Court Decision on Amazon Liability, and Michigan Grant Program
Nearly a quarter of rural Americans have used some form of telehealth service within the past few years, according to a recent NPR report conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. The most frequently used telehealth services include receivi
Bipartisan Group of Senators Stoke Fears About Google’s Neutrality and Influence in 2020 Election
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2019 — Fears about Google’s potential ability to influence the upcoming 2020 election ran rampant at a Senate hearing on Tuesday. That, coupled with allegations that the search engine giant inappropriately benefits from federal protections against liability, created a pressure c
Culture War Comes to Silicon Valley as Sen. Josh Hawley Introduces Bill to Strip Section 230 Immunity from Social Media
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2019 — Legislation authored by Sen. Joshua Hawley could signal the start of a new chapter of the culture war: Conservatives directly targeting Silicon Valley tech companies. On Wednesday, Hawley, R-Mo., announced that he’d introduced the “Ending Support for Internet Censorship A
With Google and Facebook Under Fire, Section 230 is at a Tipping Point as More Push for Changes
WASHINGTON, June 12, 2019 – New critics of Section 230 of the Telecommunications Act seem to emerge every day on both the political right and the left. The law states that “no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided
Sen. Josh Hawley Accuses Facebook of Addiction and Calls Social Media Worth-Less
WASHINGTON, May 2, 2019 – Social media and technology platform companies are wasting the talents of a generation, addicting and impoverishing middle America, and even driving teenagers to commit suicide in record numbers, Sen. Josh Hawley said Thursday. In a blistering speech attacking Facebook, Goo
Alive to New Threats, Google Reorganizes its Public Policy Shop
BROADBAND BREAKFAST INSIGHT: Google is beginning to enter into hunker-down mode. The company is finally alive to the grave new threats that it faces. They are two-pronged: More-intensive antitrust scrutiny, and regulation of privacy/AI/Section 230 free speech. As Drew Clark wrote about for a CATO In
Backpage Executives Before Senate Investigative Subcommittee Refuse to Testify About Online Business
WASHINGTON, January 10, 2017 – Executives of Backpage.com brought before a Senate investigative hearing on Tuesday refused to answer any lawmaker questions the company’s online classifieds, including sexually-explicit services. The executives appearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governm
Section 230
Section 230 is sometimes called the 26 words that created the internet.
Aspen Dispatch: Who Wants to Police the Internet?
ASPEN, COLORADO, August 18 – The Monday morning panel at the 2008 Aspen Summit examined the fundamental protections provided to third party internet providers and users and considered recent legal developments that might increase legal exposure to internet service providers and blog administrators.
