Mar 16, 2019
This episode features Sam Matthews, STLR Executive Submissions Editor, talking with Julio Sharp-Wasserman, about his recently published note on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Section 230 prevents some online intermediaries, such as operators of websites, from being sued for the actions of third parties. For example, if someone uploads a defamatory video to YouTube, the person being defamed could sue the creator of the video, but couldn’t sue YouTube itself. Although many people argue that this law is what allows the internet to exist at all, Julio argues that, in the specific context of speech torts, there are other protections for online intermediaries, and the results of lawsuits against them might be the same, even if Section 230 didn’t exist.
Julio’s article can be found in our most recent issue. To find that article, and all our content examining the intersection of science, technology, and the law, visit our website, STLR.org.
Opening and Closing Themes by Jonathan Coulton ("The Future Soon" and "Ikea")