Sundar Pichai, Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg will remotely testify before the US Senate on Wednesday on whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act — which shields companies from the liability of the content on their online platforms — needs to be changed to meet current challenges in internet governance. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is going to bat for retaining Section 230, calling it “the Internet’s most important law for free speech and safety”. The hearings carry import to the internet even in India, as Indian politicians have taken cue from their Western counterparts in the past. Remember how it didn't take long for India's right-wing to accuse Twitter of bias against them? What will the committee examine? Whether Section 230 has “outlived its usefulness in today’s digital age”, the legislative proposals to modernise the law, and increasing Big Tech’s accountability in moderating content. Additionally, it will also look at the impact of ad platforms on local journalism and consumer privacy. “The hearing will provide an opportunity to discuss the unintended consequences of Section 230’s liability shield and how best to preserve the internet as a forum for open discourse,” the senate said. Republican Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the committee on commerce, science, and transportation will convene the hearings. A lesson on Section 230: Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, 1996, provides safe harbour to internet intermediaries from liability on what their users post. It is why thousands of videos can be uploaded to YouTube per day,…
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