But they should be treated as common carriers, like the phone companies. They are more than just information sharing sites.
“But they should be treated as common carriers, like the phone companies.”
The law does not treat them that way now, and it’s unlikely to do so in the future.
They are nothing like the phone companies. And any attempt to regulate them as such is doomed to fail.
They are more like ABC or NYT. They are now publishers of content.
Even though they still enjoy Section 230 protections by law, even when they “moderate” and “curate” their forums.
While an EO can nibble around the edges and make life more uncomfortable for them, it cannot overturn that law.
And this is as important to the left as USSC judges. It’s a hill they will die on. Any change to that law will require a Trump presidency and Republican control of both houses of Congress. Big majorities at that.
And I'm waiting for AT&T to break into my phone line and tell me "STOP!.. You can't say THAT!"
We should be applauding Trump’s move, which would move in a direction toward less regulation.
The idea that they should be treated as common carriers, hence greater regulation, is offensive to be completely honest.
Trump is doing the right thing here. Section 230 is highly flawed and needs to be permanently retired or clarified so that these online social media are forced to pick being a platform, or being a publisher, in a very visible and undeniable way. Right now they try having both and its always a question. That is the problem.
Section 230 is the problem. Conservatives face censorship specifically because of the weaknesses of section 230.