<p>US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favour of Google, Meta and Twitter, stating that the social media giants cannot be held responsible for posts carrying content supportive of terrorist groups such as Islamic State (ISIS). Two cases were filed by a US victim of the 2015 Paris attacks while the third case was brought by the family of a victim of a 2017 attack by ISIS group on an Istanbul nightclub. The justices noted that the cases against social media companies did not amount to a liable infraction.</p>

<h2><strong>Court refused to recommend changes to Section 230</strong></h2>

<p>The victims of the terrorist attacks who filed cases against social media companies were seeking changes to a law called Section 230, which gives online platforms blanket immunity from liabilities arising from third-party content on their sites. The immunity prevails even if the platform recommends offensive content to its users.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Section 230 became law in 1996 and was meant to uphold the freedom of speech in the United States. However, experts are increasingly crediting the law for the increase in hateful content on social media platforms.</p>

<h2><strong>Big relief to social media companies</strong></h2>

<p>The judgment on Thursday came as a big relief to social media companies. They believe that without the protective immunity from Section 230, the websites will be open to lawsuits for content posted by users. An association representing US tech companies said the decision was good news.</p>

<p>"The court correctly recognised the narrow posture of these cases and declined to rewrite a key tenet of US Internet law, preserving free expression online and a thriving digital economy,” said Matt Schruers, head of the Computer &amp; Communications Industry Association.</p>

<h2><strong>What’s the US Congress doing?</strong></h2>

<p>Congress is heavily divided on the issue, and it has failed to update the rules to combat advanced challenges. However, different US states have passed laws to hold TikTok, Meta, Twitter and YouTube liable for content that appears on their site.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openai-ceo-testifies-before-us-congress-calls-regulation-of-artificial-intelligence-critical-593057"><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;OpenAI CEO testifies before US Congress, calls regulation of artificial intelligence ‘critical’</strong></a></p>

<p>The Biden administration last year urged the US Supreme Court to hold social media companies accountable for promoting harmful content and sided with a family seeking to sue Alphabet Inc.’s Google over a terrorist attack. However, over the past three years, the administration has failed to enact any such law that would allow victims of terrorism to pursue legal battles against the social media giants.&nbsp;</p>

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US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favour of Google, Meta and Twitter, stating that the social media giants cannot be held responsible for posts carrying content supportive of terrorist groups such as Islamic State (ISIS).

US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favour of Google, Meta and Twitter, stating that the social media giants cannot be held responsible for posts carrying content supportive of terrorist groups such as Islamic State (ISIS). Two cases were filed by a US victim of the 2015 Paris attacks while the third case was brought by the family of a victim of a 2017 attack by ISIS group on an Istanbul nightclub. The justices noted that the cases against social media companies did not amount to a liable infraction. Court refused to recommend changes to Section 230 The victims of the terrorist attacks who filed cases against social media companies were seeking changes to a law called Section 230, which gives online platforms blanket immunity from liabilities arising from third-party content on their sites. The immunity prevails even if the platform recommends offensive content to its users. Section 230 became law in 1996 and was meant to uphold the freedom of speech in the United States. However, experts are increasingly crediting the law for the increase in hateful content on social media platforms. Big relief to social media companies The judgment on Thursday came as a big relief to social media companies. They believe that without the protective immunity from Section 230, the websites will be open to lawsuits for content posted by users. An association representing US tech companies said the decision was good news. "The court correctly recognised the narrow posture of these cases and declined to rewrite a key tenet of US Internet law, preserving free expression online and a thriving digital economy,” said Matt Schruers, head of the Computer & Communications Industry Association. What’s the US Congress doing? Congress is heavily divided on the issue, and it has failed to update the rules to combat advanced challenges. However, different US states have passed laws to hold TikTok, Meta, Twitter and YouTube liable for content that appears on their site. Also Read | OpenAI CEO testifies before US Congress, calls regulation of artificial intelligence ‘critical’ The Biden administration last year urged the US Supreme Court to hold social media companies accountable for promoting harmful content and sided with a family seeking to sue Alphabet Inc.’s Google over a terrorist attack. However, over the past three years, the administration has failed to enact any such law that would allow victims of terrorism to pursue legal battles against the social media giants. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Social media companies not liable for promoting pro-ISIS content, rules US Supreme Court

<p>China is investigating its top social media sites, including WeChat and Weibo, for failing to comply with cyber laws, the latest step in the country&#39;s push to secure the internet and maintain strict Communist Party control over content.</p>

<p>President Xi Jinping has made China&#39;s &quot;cyber sovereignty&quot; a top priority and has also reasserted the ruling party&#39;s role in limiting and guiding an online discussion. Surveillance is being further tightened ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party later this year when global attention will be on news coming from the world&#39;s No.2 economy.</p>

<p>Apart from Tencent Holdings Group Ltd&#39;s WeChat and Weibo Corp, China&#39;s Cyberspace Administration said it was also investigating Baidu Inc&#39;s forum site Tieba over failing to comply with strict new laws that ban content which is obscene, violent and deemed offensive by the Communist Party.</p>

<p>&quot;Users are spreading violence, terror, false rumours, pornography and other hazards to national security, public safety, social order,&quot; the regulator said on its website.</p>

<p>Baidu said it felt &quot;deep regret&quot; over the content and will &quot;actively cooperate with government departments to rectify the issue and increase the intensity of auditing&quot;.</p>

<p>Tencent and Weibo did not respond to requests for comment.</p>

<p>Shares of the Hong Kong-listed firm were in the red after the news, down almost 5 per cent. Investors will now be waiting to see how shares of the US-listed firms react.</p>

<p>Just last month, all three were asked to carry out immediate &quot;cleaning and rectification&quot; at a meeting with authorities who cited examples of illicit content, including rumours about party officials and misrepresenting Chinese military history.</p>

<p>Prior to the meeting, Weibo was asked to partly close its video site over violations, wiping out a total $1.3 billion worth of stock between Weibo and parent firm Sina Corp.</p>

<p>In recent months, regulators have taken severe and unprecedented moves to shutter content and media across a variety of platforms. In May, it released regulations for online news sites and network portals that expanded curbs on content and required all services to be overseen by party-sanctioned editorial staff.</p>

<p>It has taken down popular celebrity gossip social media accounts and there has also been a sweeping campaign to remove virtual private network apps that allow users to circumvent China&#39;s so-called &#39;Great Firewall&#39; and access foreign websites.</p>

<p>Western social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are banned by the country&#39;s censors, which in turn has helped drive up the popularity of home-grown messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo.</p>

<p>WeChat and Weibo have about 940 million and 350 million monthly active users, respectively.</p>


Western social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are banned by the country's censors, which in turn has helped drive up the popularity of home-grown messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo

China is investigating its top social media sites, including WeChat and Weibo, for failing to comply with cyber laws, the latest step in the country's push to secure the internet and maintain strict Communist Party control over content. President Xi Jinping has made China's "cyber sovereignty" a top priority and has also reasserted the ruling party's role in limiting and guiding an online discussion. Surveillance is being further tightened ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party later this year when global attention will be on news coming from the world's No.2 economy. Apart from Tencent Holdings Group Ltd's WeChat and Weibo Corp, China's Cyberspace Administration said it was also investigating Baidu Inc's forum site Tieba over failing to comply with strict new laws that ban content which is obscene, violent and deemed offensive by the Communist Party. "Users are spreading violence, terror, false rumours, pornography and other hazards to national security, public safety, social order," the regulator said on its website. Baidu said it felt "deep regret" over the content and will "actively cooperate with government departments to rectify the issue and increase the intensity of auditing". Tencent and Weibo did not respond to requests for comment. Shares of the Hong Kong-listed firm were in the red after the news, down almost 5 per cent. Investors will now be waiting to see how shares of the US-listed firms react. Just last month, all three were asked to carry out immediate "cleaning and rectification" at a meeting with authorities who cited examples of illicit content, including rumours about party officials and misrepresenting Chinese military history. Prior to the meeting, Weibo was asked to partly close its video site over violations, wiping out a total $1.3 billion worth of stock between Weibo and parent firm Sina Corp. In recent months, regulators have taken severe and unprecedented moves to shutter content and media across a variety of platforms. In May, it released regulations for online news sites and network portals that expanded curbs on content and required all services to be overseen by party-sanctioned editorial staff. It has taken down popular celebrity gossip social media accounts and there has also been a sweeping campaign to remove virtual private network apps that allow users to circumvent China's so-called 'Great Firewall' and access foreign websites. Western social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are banned by the country's censors, which in turn has helped drive up the popularity of home-grown messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo. WeChat and Weibo have about 940 million and 350 million monthly active users, respectively.

China investigates top local social media sites in push to control content

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Social media companies not liable for promoting pro-ISIS content, rules US Supreme Court

China investigates top local social media sites in push to control content