Aug 1, 2024
Some argue that Section 230 allows the internet to
flourish. Others argue it allows harmful content to flourish.
Christopher Cox knows something about Section 230: He co-wrote
it.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is an
American law passed in 1996 that shields websites from liability
for content posted on their sites by users.
What does Rep. Cox make of the law today?
Rep. Cox was a 17-year member of the House of Representatives and
is a former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:43 Did Section 230 create the modern internet?
7:48 America’s technological advancement
11:33 Section 230’s support for good faith content moderation
18:00 User privacy and age verification?
25:37 Rep. Cox’s early experiences with the internet
30:24 Did we need Section 230 in the first place?
37:51 Are there any changes Rep. Cox would make to Section 230 now?
42:40 How does AI impact content creation and moderation?
47:23 The future of Section 230
54:31 Closing thoughts
57:30 Outro
Show notes:
- Transcript
- Section 230 text
- “The Twenty-Six Words that Created the Internet” by Jeff Kosseff
- Cubby, Inc. v. CompuServe Inc. (S.D.N.Y. 1991)
- Stratton Oakmont, Inc. v. Prodigy Services Co. (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1995)
- “Section 230: A Retrospective” by Chris Cox
- Section 230: Legislative History (Electronic Frontier Foundation)