Twitter, Google and Facebook CEO’s defend key internet law

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The CEO's of Twitter and Google defended a law protecting internet companies before a US Senate panel, while Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg fought to connect almost, bringing the hearing into a short halt.

The topic of reforming the law has divided US lawmakers on ways to hold 'Big Tech' responsible for the way they medium content in their platforms and shape political discourse.

Twitter's Jack Dorsey and Google's Sundar Pichai advised the committee that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act - which protects employers from liability over content posted by users - is crucial to free expression online.

Twitter's Dorsey cautioned the committee that eroding the foundation of Section 230 could significantly hurt how folks communicate online. Mr Pichai said the company operates without political prejudice and doing otherwise would be against its business pursuits.

The committee could not establish contact Facebook's Zuckerberg and announced a brief recess. He appeared soon after and said, "I was having a hard time connecting myself."

Mr Zuckerberg further said he supports changing the law but also warned that tech platforms are very likely to pay more to prevent legal risks in case Section 230 is repealed.

All three CEOs agreed the businesses should be held liable in the event the platforms work as a publisher.

Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the committee, said that the liability shield has protected businesses from "potentially ruinous lawsuits". "But it has also given these internet platforms the ability to control, stifle, and even censor content in whatever manner meets their respective standards. The time has come for that free pass to end," he explained.

Wicker also criticized the companies' decision to block stories from the New York Post that made claims about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's son.

The Justice Department urged congressional leaders in a letter Tuesday to move quickly to reform the law and cited the decision of Twitter to initially bar distribution of the New York Post story on Biden's son.

Senator Ted Cruz released a picture on Twitter titled 'Free Speech showdown Cruz vs Dorsey' that showed him and Twitter's Dorsey pitted against each other. "I have long said that Big Tech poses the single greatest danger to our First Amendment rights and the future of Christianity," Cruz said in a statement ahead of the hearing.

Biden has also expressed support for revoking the law.

Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Senate commerce panel, initially rejected a request by Republicans to subpoena the three CEOs to appear at the hearing, but later changed her mind and said she welcomed a "discussion about 230".

SECTION 230

Democrats peppered the billionaire CEO's with questions about the spread of misinformation and the proliferation of deceptive political ads on the platforms.

US lawmakers are not the only ones pushing for reform. The European Union's executive Commission is drafting a new Digital Services Act which, in addition to tackling market abuses by dominant platforms, could also address liability for harmful or illegal material. Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is due to unveil her proposals on December the 2nd.

The European Union already has a code of behaviour to manage hate speech on social media while Germany has passed laws compelling platforms to get rid of illegal or offensive material promptly or face steep fines.

The team at Platform Executive hope you have enjoyed this news article. Initial reporting via our official content partners at Thomson Reuters. Reporting by Nandita Bose and David Shepardson in Washington. Additional reporting by Douglas Busvine in Frankfurt. Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Lisa Shumaker.

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