What exactly is Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and why is a 1996 law so important today? Why have Presidents Biden and Trump both said they want to repeal it? Was it to blame when Twitter and Facebook banned Trump from their platforms, or was it the reason they didn’t ban him sooner? Join policy analysts from the world’s leading tech policy think tank as they break down one of the most contentious debates about free speech, intermediary liability, and the future of the Internet. Ellysse and Ashley Break the Internet takes a deep dive into the ins and outs of Section 230, providing fresh insights and new perspectives with leading policy experts, advisers, and advocates from across the political spectrum. This 12-episode series asks what will happen if policymakers keep or repeal the law credited with creating the Internet and explores the opportunities for Congress to make the law even better. The first two episodes will drop on Wednesday, February 24. New episodes will follow in pairs every week.
Publisher
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
What the Future Holds for Section 230, With Neil Chilson
Neil Chilson, tech policy expert at the Charles Koch Institute and former FTC chief technologist, joins Ellysse and Ashley to forecast where the debate surrounding Section 230 is heading and present a vision for the future of content and online speech regulation. Mentioned Neil Chilson, “Statement of Neil Chilson: Section 230 – Nurturing Innovation or Fostering Unaccountability?”, Department of Justice, February 19, 2020. Neil Chilson, “Why Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both wrong about Sec...
31 Mar 2021
Section 230 and the Need for Change, With Andrew Bolson
Andrew Bolson, privacy lawyer advocating for Section 230 reform, joins Ellysse and Ashley to evaluate the need for Section 230 reform in order to protect consumers and limit online abuse, suggest what form that should take, and explain the risks of taking a subjective approach to reforming online intermediary liability. Mentioned Andrew P. Bolson, “Flawed But Fixable: Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act at 20,” Rutgers Computer & Technology Law Journal 42 (2016). Andrew P. Bols...
24 Mar 2021
Section 230 and the Fight Against Online Abuse, With Elisa D’Amico
Elisa D’Amico, co-founder of the Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project—which provides pro bono legal assistance to victims of nonconsensual pornography—joins Ellysse and Ashley to explain the unique challenges the Internet poses for combatting online abuse, the struggles victims face seeking justice, and the role online platforms play in moderating abusive content. Mentioned “Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution (SHIELD) Act of 2021,” Office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier....
24 Mar 2021
How Section 230 Safeguards Civil Liberties, With Jennifer Huddleston
Jennifer Huddleston, tech policy expert at the American Action Forum, joins Ellysse and Ashley to highlight the benefits of Section 230 for free speech, competition, and innovation and explore the potential implications of new regulations for civil liberties. Mentioned Brent Skorup and Jennifer Huddleston, “The Erosion of Publisher Liability in American Law, Section 230, and the Future of Online Curation,” Oklahoma Law Review 72, no. 3 (2020).Billy Easley, “Revising the Law That Lets Platfor...
17 Mar 2021
A News Media Perspective on Section 230, With David Chavern
David Chavern, CEO of a news industry trade association representing nearly 2,000 publishers, joins Ellysse and Ashley to discuss the impact of Section 230 on traditional media and the spread of misinformation, as well as how the news industry handles the issue of intermediary liability. Mentioned David Chavern, “The News Media and Section 230,” News Media Alliance, February 19, 2020.David Chavern, “Section 230 Is a Government License to Build Rage Machines,” Wired, September 14, 2020.Sacha B...
17 Mar 2021
An International Perspective on Section 230, With David Kaye
David Kaye, free speech expert at the University of California, Irvine, joins Ellysse and Ashley to explore the challenges of developing effective and culturally relevant content moderation policies in different countries and how intermediary liability laws like Section 230 impact online speech for billions of users around the world. Mentioned David Kaye, Speech Police: The Global Struggle to Govern the Internet(New York: Columbia Global Reports, 2019).Jack Goldsmith and John Wu, Who Controls...
10 Mar 2021
How Section 230 Promotes Competition, With Jessica Ashooh
Jessica Ashooh, Director of Policy at Reddit, joins Ellysse and Ashley to explore the impact of Section 230 on small to mid-sized companies and explain its importance for innovation and competition in the Internet economy. Mentioned “H.R.1865 - Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017,” Congress.gov.Related Emily Birnbaum, “Reddit worries it’s going to be crushed in the fight against Big Tech,” Protocol, October 28, 2020.
10 Mar 2021
How Section 230 Shapes Content Moderation, With Daphne Keller
Daphne Keller, platform regulation expert at Stanford University and former Associate General Counsel for Google, joins Ellysse and Ashley to explain Section 230’s role in shaping how large companies approach content moderation on a massive scale, and how intermediary liability protections allow platforms of all sizes to thrive. Mentioned Jennifer M. Urban, Joe Karaganis, and Brianna L. Shofield, Notice and Takedown in Everyday Practice(Berkeley Law, 2016).Maarten Sap et al., “The Risk of Rac...
3 Mar 2021
Evaluating Proposals to Amend Section 230, With Aaron Mackey
Aaron Mackey, staff attorney and free speech expert at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, joins Ellysse and Ashley to evaluate recent proposals to amend or repeal Section 230 based on their potential impact and effectiveness. Mentioned “S.3398 - EARN IT Act of 2020,” Congress.gov. “S.4534 - Online Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity Act,” Congress.gov. “S.4632 - Online Content Policy Modernization Act,” Congress.gov. “S.4066 - PACT Act,” Congress.gov. Related ...
3 Mar 2021
The Political Debate Over Section 230, With Klon Kitchen
Klon Kitchen, a tech policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute who authored the Heritage Foundation’s Section 230 reform proposal, joins Ellysse and Ashley to unpack the political debate surrounding Section 230 and the treatment of political speech online. Mentioned Klon Kitchen, “Section 230—Mend It, Don’t End It” (Heritage Foundation, October 2020).Related Ashley Johnson and Daniel Castro, “Proposals to Reform Section 230” (ITIF, February 2021).
24 Feb 2021
A Brief History of Section 230, With Patrick Carome
Patrick Carome, one of the leading advocates in Section 230 litigation famous for representing AOL in the landmark Section 230 case, Zeran v. AOL, joins Ellysse and Ashley to explore the history behind Section 230, Congress' intentions in passing it, and the foundational case that set the precedent for how courts interpret it. Mentioned: Zeran v. Am. Online, Inc., 129 F.3d 327 (4th Cir. 1997).Stratton Oakmont, Inc. v. Prodigy Servs. Co., No. 31063/94, 1995 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 229 (N.Y. Sup. Ct....
24 Feb 2021
An Introduction to Section 230, With Cathy Gellis
Cathy Gellis, veteran Internet professional-turned-lawyer working in the intersection of technology and civil liberties, joins Ellysse and Ashley to explain what Section 230 is, what it does, why it has attracted so much attention and controversy, and what the key players in the debate are saying. Mentioned: Cathy Gellis, “If We’re Going To Talk About Discrimination In Online Ads, We Need To Talk About Roommates.com,” Techdirt, February 19, 2021.Cathy Gellis, “How To Think About Online Ads A...
5 Feb 2021
Ellysse and Ashley Break the Internet: Series Trailer
What exactly is Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and why is a 1996 law so important today? Why have Presidents Biden and Trump both said they want to repeal it? Was it to blame when Twitter and Facebook banned Trump from their platforms, or was it the reason they didn’t ban him sooner? Join policy analysts from the world’s leading tech policy think tank as they break down one of the most contentious debates about free speech, intermediary liability, and the future of the Interne...
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Contact Ellysse and Ashley Break the Internet
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Ellysse and Ashley Break the Internet?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
