Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, urged the Supreme Court to uphold Section 230 as it hears oral arguments in Gonzalez v. Google this week. Section 230 is a portion of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 that provides important protections for small, medium, and large businesses to operate online. The following statement can be attributed to TechNet President and CEO Linda Moore:
“Many of the technologies we love and use every day exist because Section 230 promoted the continued development of the Internet, which has been a driving force for innovation and economic growth in this country. It has created and connected millions of us to jobs and new opportunities, enabled people of all backgrounds to learn, communicate, and access resources from anywhere, and spurred the entrepreneurial spirit that is the backbone of our nation to flourish.
“If the Supreme Court accepts the plaintiff’s arguments in Gonzalez v. Google, it would completely undermine Section 230, and the Internet as we know it would stop functioning. It would lead to unintended consequences that could fundamentally change how we communicate and interact online by creating a less safe user experience, endangering free speech, and hurting our economy.
“Changes to content moderation and Section 230 must come from Congress and be thoughtful, bipartisan, and avoid any unintended consequences that could devastate our economy for years to come.”
In a new blog post published today, TechNet outlined the strong legal arguments for protecting Section 230 and the harmful effects undermining it would have on all Americans.
Last month, TechNet also joined the Computer & Communications Industry Association, NetChoice, Digital Media Association, the Information Technology Industry Council, and the Interactive Advertising Bureau in submitting an amicus brief to the Supreme Court highlighting why content organization is protected by Section 230. Additionally, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and former Congressman Chris Cox (R-CA), the legislative authors of the Communications Decency Act, filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold precedent on Section 230.