Section 230
Plaintiffs Urge Judge to Strip Reddit of Section 230 Protections Over UGC
A proposed class of plaintiffs currently appealing a dismissed lawsuit against Reddit, alleging that the platform “knowingly benefits from lax enforcement of its content polices, including for child pornography," filed an opening appellate brief this week renewing their claim that Section 230 protections should not shield the social media platform.
Alabama Federal Judge Denies Section 230 Immunity to MindGeek, Claims Pornhub Is a Publisher
An Alabama federal judge today shut down MindGeek’s petition to dismiss a class action lawsuit filed by Jane Does over content posted on Pornhub that allegedly depicts instances of their human trafficking, claiming that Section 230 protections over third-party content do not apply because the company exercised “extensive control over the development of pornographic content on their websites.”
Influential Anti-Porn Lobby NCOSE Endorses EARN IT Act
The leading anti-porn crusading group in the U.S., the religiously inspired NCOSE, has re-endorsed the EARN IT Act after its reintroduction by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) in late January.
Judge Dismisses Backpage.com-Related Lawsuit Against Salesforce
A California appeals court sided with Salesforce last week and dismissed a lawsuit by 50 “Jane Does” claiming that the cloud-based software company was liable for their alleged sex trafficking because it had provided services to the now-defunct classifieds site Backpage.com.
FSC Sounds Alarm About Revived Anti-Section-230 California Bill
A controversial California bill that would eliminate Section 230 protections in the name of fighting “online trafficking” and “revenge porn,” along the lines established at the federal level by FOSTA-SESTA, has moved forward in the state senate, spurring the Free Speech Coalition to renew its campaign against the proposed legislation.
Plaintiffs Seek to Overturn Section 230 Ruling Protecting Reddit in Alleged CSAM Case
A dismissed class-action lawsuit against Reddit, alleging that the platform “knowingly benefits from lax enforcement of its content polices, including for child pornography,” has been revived through an appeal to the Ninth Circuit.
Facebook Asks 3rd Circuit to Review Decision in Complex Section 230 Case
Facebook asked the full Third Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday to review last month’s split-panel decision allowing a complex intellectual property and “right of publicity” lawsuit — which challenges Section 230 protections over third-party content and also mentions adult conglomerate WGCZ as co-defendant — to move forward.
House Dems Introduce Bill to Further Erode Section 230 Over 'Harmful Content'
Four House Democrats introduced yet another Section 230 reform bill last week, titled the “Justice Against Malicious Algorithms Act.”
FSC Hires Lobbyists to Represent Adult Industry in DC
Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has hired Washington, D.C. lobbying firm Clarity Consulting to develop relationships in Congress and other public policy centers that would allow adult industry concerns to be heard in matters that directly affect the sector.
Sen. Klobuchar Introduces First Major Section 230 Carve-Out Since FOSTA-SESTA
A new Section 230-eroding bill, the “Health Misinformation Act” (HMA), was introduced yesterday by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to create liability for platforms that allow third-party content that is deemed to spread “misinformation” about an “existing public health emergency.”
ACLU Warns Against Biden's Latest Attack on Section 230
The ACLU sharply criticized President Joe Biden and his administration for his direct attack on Section 230 liability protections, which the White House has blamed for a proliferation of misinformation.
MindGeek Lawyers Ask Alabama Judge to Uphold Section 230 Protections
MindGeek lawyers presented this week their first on-record Section 230 arguments in the current onslaught of liability lawsuits over third-party content uploaded onto Pornhub, part of the War on Porn-driven campaign that kicked off with Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times article in early December 2020.
It's the Moderation, Stupid: Conservative Platform Gettr Faces 'Sonic the Hedgehog Porn' Issues
After the tumultuous collapse of Parler earlier this year, the current turmoil around adult content posted on startup platform Gettr highlights the problematic paradox at the core of marketing “free speech” platforms aimed at conservatives and others on the political right.
Florida Judge Halts Controversial 'Free Speech' Law
A Florida court enjoined last week the implementation of Florida’s controversial new law making social media platforms liable for moderation policies, in the name of political — but not sexual — "free speech."
Texas Supreme Court Denies Section 230 Protection for Third-Party Content, Citing FOSTA/SESTAA
n a stunning 33-page decision, the Texas Supreme Court denied Facebook’s liability immunity for third party content based on Section 230 — the so-called “First Amendment of the internet" — with the majority opinion quoting FOSTA/SESTA to state that Section 230 “was never intended to provide legal protection to websites that facilitate traffickers in advertising the sale of unlawful sex acts with sex trafficking victims.”
Massive Civil Lawsuit Filed Against MindGeek, Others Over 3rd-Party Content
A legal team headed by Michael J. Bowe, the former lawyer for Donald Trump and Jerry Falwell Jr., filed a massive civil lawsuit in California today against Pornhub parent company MindGeek, its officials and investors, on behalf of 34 women who allege they were “human trafficked” by the company in relation to allegedly illegal videos uploaded by third parties onto its flagship tube site.
Biden Revokes Trump's Executive Order Targeting Section 230
As part of an order revoking a number of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders, President Joe Biden rescinded last Friday his predecessor’s controversial May 2020 order calling for the revocation of Section 230, the so-called “First Amendment of the internet.”
U.S. Senator Asks for Repeal of Section 230, Censorship of 'Sexually Impure' Content
U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee) has unveiled a bill to repeal Section 230 — the so-called “First Amendment of the Internet” — and replace it with something he calls “Section 232.”
Section 230: Sex Workers, Advocates Warn Against Sen. Warner's SAFE TECH Bill
Adult performers and other sex workers are warning against a new legislative attempt to expand on the harms to the community effected by FOSTA-SESTA by further eroding Section 230 protections.
Texas Supreme Court Justice Probes Section 230 Immunity After FOSTA-SESTA
A Texas Supreme Court Justice questioned long-standing interpretations of Section 230 liability protections this week, while hearing a case that deliberately tests the exception to the so called “First Amendment of the internet” that was carved out by FOSTA-SESTA for alleged instances of human trafficking.