The Senate Commerce Committee voted on a bipartisan basis Thursday to subpoena the CEOs of Facebook, Google, and Twitter to testify about the tech industry’s controversial legal shield.
“Even if you happen to agree with them on a particular issue right now, ceding the power to the star chamber of Silicon Valley is profoundly dangerous,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, following the committee vote.
The industry is currently protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which provides that websites generally are not legally responsible for content posted by their users, including for defamation, breach of contract, and emotional distress. The provision protects video-hosting sites, such as YouTube, and social media providers, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as any website that allows users to post comments…
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