Free Speech Is Essential

The importance of free speech on the Internet is essential to keeping a vibrant flow of opinions and ideas alive. Our democracy is stronger because our freedom of speech is unrestricted on the Internet.

CDT Joins Brief Urging Liability Protection for Internet Content Venues - The Center for Democracy & Technology joined with other public interest and Internet industry groups to urge a federal appeals court to shield websites from legal action stemming from content their users post. In a case involving the Roommates.com website, an initial three judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the website should not receive the normal protections afforded under "Section 230" of federal law from liability for content posted by the site's individual users. The entire court agreed to reconsider that initial decision. The "friend of the court" brief, which CDT joined, argued that Section 230 protection is vital to the robust speech and debate on the Internet, and that a website should not lose that protection because it gives users specific options for expressing their views.