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A12 TECHNOLOGY
Thursday 29 OcTOber 2020
AP Explains: The rule that made the modern internet

By BARBARA ORTUTAY outcome would discour-
AP Technology Writer age newly forming internet
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — companies from moderat-
Twenty-six words tucked ing at all. And Section 230
into a 1996 law overhaul- was born.
ing telecommunications "Today it protects both from
have allowed companies liability for user posts as well
like Facebook, Twitter and as liability for any claims
Google to grow into the gi- for moderating content,"
ants they are today. Kosseff said.
Those are the words Presi- QUESTION: What happens
dent Donald Trump's ad- if Section 230 is limited or
ministration has challenged This combination of photos shows logos for social media platforms Facebook and Twitter. goes away?
Associated Press
directly via executive or- ANSWER: "I don't think any
der, one that would strip ticians, including Demo- tion provided by another a "chilling effect" to hold of the social media com-
those protections if online crats, though for different information content pro- someone liable for some- panies would exist in their
platforms engaged in "edi- reasons than Republicans vider." one else's content. current forms without Sec-
torial decisions." The CEOs argue that Twitter, Face- That legal phrase shields That meant plaintiffs had to tion 230," Kosseff said. "They
of the three internet com- book and other social me- companies that can host prove that bookstore own- have based their business
panies face questioning dia platforms have abused trillions of messages from ers knew they were selling models on being large
Wednesday by the Senate that protection and should being sued into oblivion by obscene books, said Jeff platforms for user content."
Commerce Committee lose their immunity — or at anyone who feels wronged Kosseff, the author of "The There are two possible out-
about Republican claims least have to earn it by sat- by something someone Twenty-Six Words That Cre- comes. Platforms might get
of anti-conservative bias. isfying requirements set by else has posted — whether ated the Internet," a book more cautious, as Craigslist
Beyond questioning the the government. their complaint is legitimate about Section 230. did following the 2018 pas-
CEOs, senators are expect- Section 230 probably can't or not. The legal interpreta- Fast-forward a few de- sage of a sex-trafficking law
ed to examine proposals to be easily dismantled. But if tion of section 230 also al- cades to when the com- that carved out an excep-
revise long-held legal pro- it was, the internet as we lows social platforms to mercial internet was taking tion to Section 230 for mate-
tections for online speech, know it might cease to ex- moderate their services by off with services like Com- rial that "promotes or facili-
an immunity that critics in ist. removing posts that, for in- puServe and Prodigy. Both tates prostitution." Craigslist
both parties say enables QUESTION: Just what is Sec- stance, are obscene or vio- offered online forums, but quickly removed its "per-
the companies to abdi- tion 230? late the services' own stan- CompuServe chose not to sonals" section altogether,
cate their responsibility to ANSWER: If a news site dards, so long as they are moderate its, while Prodigy, which wasn't intended to
impartially moderate con- falsely calls you a swindler, acting in "good faith." seeking a family-friendly im- facilitate sex work. But the
tent. Under the U.S. law, you can sue the publisher QUESTION: Where did Sec- age, did. company didn't want to
internet companies are for libel. But if someone tion 230 come from? CompuServe was sued over take any chances.
generally exempt from li- posts that on Facebook, The measure's history dates that, and the case was dis- "If platforms were not im-
ability for the material users you can't sue the compa- back to the 1950s, when missed. Prodigy, however, mune under the law, then
post on their networks. Sec- ny — just the person who bookstore owners were be- got in trouble. The judge in they would not risk the
tion 230 of the 1996 Com- posted it. ing held liable for selling their case ruled that "they legal liability that could
munications Decency Act That's thanks to Section 230, books containing "obscen- exercised editorial con- come with hosting Don-
— itself part of a broader which states that "no pro- ity," which is not protected trol — so you're more like ald Trump's lies, defama-
telecom law — provides a vider or user of an interac- by the First Amendment. a newspaper than a news- tion, and threats," said Kate
legal "safe harbor" for inter- tive computer service shall One case eventually made stand," Kosseff said. Ruane, senior legislative
net companies. be treated as the publisher it to the Supreme Court, That didn't sit well with poli- counsel for the American
But Trump and other poli- or speaker of any informa- which held that it created ticians, who worried that Civil Liberties Union.q

Microsoft says Iranian hackers targeted conference attendees

into the email accounts of attacks for intelligence col- to the Iranian government.
"high-profile" people with lection purposes," said Tom Microsoft calls it Phospho-
spoofed invitations. Burt, Microsoft's security rus, while others call it APT35
The tech company said chief, in a prepared state- or Charming Kitten.
Wednesday it detected ment. "The attacks were The Redmond, Washington
attempts by the hacking successful in compromis- tech company has been
group it calls Phosphorus ing several victims, includ- tracking the group since
to trick former government ing former ambassadors 2013 and has previously ac-
officials, policy experts and and other senior policy ex- cused it of trying to snoop
academics. perts who help shape glob- on activists, journalists, po-
The targets included more al agendas and foreign litical dissidents, defense in-
than 100 prominent people policies in their respective dustry workers and others in
invited by the hackers to countries." the Middle East.
the Munich Security Con- Microsoft didn't identify the Cybersecurity researchers
ference, which is attended nationalities of the people have said the group typical-
by world leaders each Feb- targeted. It said the activity ly tries to infiltrate a target's
In this Nov. 10, 2016, photo, people walk near a Microsoft office ruary, and the upcoming is unrelated to the upcom- personal online accounts
in New York. Think 20 Summit, which be- ing U.S. elections. and computer networks by
Associated Press gins later this week in Saudi Wednesday's announce- luring them into clicking on
REDMOND, Wash. (AP) conference organizers in Arabia but is online-only ment refers to the hacking a link to a compromised
— Microsoft says Iranian Germany and Saudi Ara- this year. "We believe Phos- group as an "Iranian actor" website or opening a mali-
hackers have posed as bia in an attempt to break phorus is engaging in these but doesn't explicitly tie it cious attachment.q