Facebook's Zuckerberg says Section 230 is important but needs update
Oct. 27, 2020 2:58 PM ETMeta Platforms, Inc. (META)GOOG, TWTR, META, GOOGLBy: Jason Aycock, SA News Editor15 Comments
- Facebook's (FB +1.8%) Mark Zuckerberg is out with prepared testimony ahead of his appearance before the Senate Commerce Committee - and he's taking a more conciliatory tone than fellow tech CEO Jack Dorsey.
- At the hearing, Dorsey will call Section 230 of the Communications Act "the Internet's most important law for free speech and safety" and otherwise press to defend it as an important liability shield for Internet firms.
- In his prepared remarks, Zuckerberg says Section 230 "made it possible for every major Internet service to be built and ensured important values like free expression and openness were part of how platforms operate."
- "Changing it is a significant decision," he continues. "However, I believe Congress should update the law to make sure it's working as intended."
- Facebook doesn't believe tech companies should be making decisions about these issues alone, he says: "We stand ready to work with Congress on what regulation could look like in these areas. By updating the rules for the Internet, we can preserve what's best about it - the freedom for people to express themselves and for entrepreneurs to build new things - while also protecting society from broader harms."
- Zuckerberg will appear tomorrow (virtually) alongside Twitter's (TWTR +4.8%) Dorsey and Alphabet (GOOG +0.3%, GOOGL +0.3%) CEO Sundar Pichai.