Social media corporations have lengthy appeared impervious to authorized threats. Meta, YouTube, Snap, and the remainder have lengthy waved off criticism of their platforms on free speech and Part 230 grounds. However twice this week, juries rendered verdicts towards the platforms, not due to some dangerous movies however due to the design and construction of the platforms themselves. That may change some issues.
On this episode of The Vergecast, David and Nilay dig into this week’s rulings, the novel authorized approaches that led to them, and whether or not these circumstances (and the others set for trial this yr) might truly change the best way social media works. We additionally attempt to determine whether or not this can be a nice day for regulating essential platforms, as some individuals suppose, or a complete catastrophe and an assault on free speech, as others suppose. Perhaps it’s someplace in between. Perhaps it’s each.
All that social media speak comes after some essential housekeeping. First: Nilay has a flight to catch, and is fearful he’s going to overlook it standing within the TSA line. (Replace: he made it. Go see him on the American Bar Affiliation TechShow in Chicago this weekend!) It’s additionally the start of our Apple 50 protection, and we’d like your assist to determine one of the best 50 Apple merchandise ever. By the best way, if you wish to hear us spend a few hours debating which merchandise to incorporate, there’s a particular episode on the ad-free Vergecast feed solely for subscribers. Go subscribe!
If you wish to know extra about every thing we focus on on this episode, listed below are some hyperlinks to get you began:
