Section 230 Of The Communications Decency Act

Section 230 of the communications decency act is one of if not the most important pieces of internet legislation in the united states.

Section 230 of the communications decency act. 230 a provision of the communication decency act. Section 230 of the communications decency act immunizes websites from legal liability for the comments of their users. When congress enacted section 230 it wisely recognized that holding websites legally responsible for user generated content would cripple the rapidly developing online world.

Section 230 is a provision of the communications decency act which was passed in 1996. Commonly known as the communications decency act of 1996 was never intended to provide legal protection to websites that unlawfully promote and facilitate prostitution and websites that facilitate traffickers in advertising the sale of unlawful sex acts with sex trafficking victims. The us department of justice has submitted a proposal to weaken section 230 of the communications decency act a rule that protects websites and apps from liability for third party content.

Section 230 defines internet culture as we know it. The communications decency act s broader purpose was to slow the spread of child pornography on the web. This comes somewhat as a surprise since the original purpose of the legislation was to restrict free speech on the internet.

It s the reason why websites can offer platforms for critical and controversial speech without constantly worrying about getting sued. A number of tech industry observers say it s the most important law protecting free speech online. Section 230 of the communications act of 1934 47 u s c.

Section 230 was only a small portion of that broader legislation.