[PGR88]

Were 19th century newspapers responsible when editorials caused public anger?

Are telephone companies responsible when criminals discuss crimes over their networks?

[Boogieman]

“Are telephone companies responsible when criminals discuss crimes over their networks?”

They certainly would be if they had operators spying on everyone’s conversations (agreed to when signing up for the service), so that they were aware of the crimes being planned and did not report them.

[Do_Tar]

IIRC In the bad old days of dial up modems and bulletin boards the theory was Platform vs. Publisher.
If you just provided a soapbox, (telephone line), you were considered a Platform and immune.
Once you started editing ideas, (newspaper), you became a Publisher and were liable.
Obviously it was a little more gray than that

[zeugma]

Are telephone companies responsible when criminals discuss crimes over their networks?

Do telephone companies censor people's conversations based on content, or potential content?