The Senate Commerce Committee is holding a hearing on Section 230, a law that has shaped the foundation of the free and open internet in America, according to a March 18 statement from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.
Section 230, passed three decades ago, is considered by some as crucial for protecting free speech online. The provision states: “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”
David McGarry, Research Director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said, “Section 230 was a statute done right. Seeing a deficiency in the status quo, which, in the 1990s, was poorly fitted for the burgeoning internet, former Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Calif.) and now-Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) drafted a proposal that applied the fundamental principle that only the speaker of illegal speech ought to be held to account for it. Experience has vindicated their judgment. In these 30 years since Section 230 became law, free speech has flourished on the internet, democratizing public debates and introducing new competition to legacy institutions.”
McGarry also said that Section 230 provides equal protection for both large and small platforms. He explained that while major technology companies may have significant legal resources, smaller platforms depend on Section 230 to defend against lawsuits intended to limit online speech. “Free speech at scale does not emerge in a desert of institutions. Online platforms serve as mediating institutions which allow Americans’ speech to be heard far and wide. Besides assigning liability properly, Section 230 has proven effective at protecting platforms against frivolous litigation and, consequently, protecting the practical ability of users to hear speech online and be heard themselves. This landmark statute, only 26 words in length, must be safeguarded as the cornerstone of the free and open internet,” McGarry said.
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance Foundation is based in Washington D.C., operates as a non-profit organization advocating for government transparency through public education efforts such as research and investigative reporting about taxation and government spending effects; it was founded in 2011 with David Williams serving as its current president according to its website.
As discussions continue regarding potential changes or challenges to Section 230’s protections, organizations like TPA emphasize its role in supporting both innovation and freedom of expression across digital platforms.
