Internet

Facebook Ends Ban on Political Advertising

“When you ban all campaign ads on the most accessible and affordable platform out there, you tilt the balance toward the candidates who can afford radio and television.” — Siva Vaidhyanathan, Professor of Media Studies, University of Virginia

Siva Vaidhyanathan
Source: The New York Times
March 6, 2021

A Leading Critic of Big Tech Will Join the White House

“Extreme economic concentration yields gross inequality and material suffering, feeding the appetite for nationalistic and extremist leadership.”  — Tim Wu, Professor of Law, Columbia University
Tim Wu
Source: The New York Times
March 5, 2021

Biden Adds Big Tech Critic Tim Wu to his Economic Staff

“I think breakups or undoing of mergers are actually called for more than we have appreciated in the last few decades.” — Tim Wu, Professor of Law, Columbia University
Tim Wu
Source: Reuters
March 5, 2021

Australia’s Draft Law Gives Facebook a Free Pass

Where will this end up? It will end up with the large digital platforms doing deals with the largest news outlets. Those deals will be multi-year lump-sum payments that enable everyone to go about their business. — Joshua Gans, Professor of Strategic Management, University of Toronto
Joshua Gans
Source: Asia Times
February 19, 2021

Facebook Blocks News in Australia, Diverging With Google on Proposed Law

“Google is already used to playing a different game in every different country; they may have gotten beyond this fantasy of a universalized approach to doing business in the world.” — Siva Vaidhyanathan, Professor of Media Studies, University of Virgina
Siva Vaidhyanathan
Source: The New York Times
February 17, 2021

User Pact, Section 230 Likely to Shield Robinhood, Reddit From Lawsuits

“The whole point of section 230 is to enable sites like Reddit to allow conversations to take place. Knowing that some conversations will be antisocial and in some cases illegal, section 230 says that’s not the responsibility of the service that creates the venue of those conversations.” — Eric Goldman, Professor of Law, Santa Clara University
Eric Goldman
Source: Insurance Journal
February 1, 2021

What a Full Repeal of Section 230 Would Look Like

“Even in the best-case scenario, it’s going to take a decade or more to get enough First Amendment jurisprudence to the point where other entrepreneurs might feel comfortable relying upon it” — Eric Goldman, Professor of Internet Law , Santa Clara University

Eric Goldman
Source: The National Journal
January 4, 2021

Tech Tent: Is Facebook Fixable?

"Facebook was basically caught flat-footed, even though anybody who studies American politics would have known that one of our two political parties would do everything it could to delegitimise the process." — Siva Vaidhyanathan, Professor of Modern Media Studies, University of Virginia

Siva Vaidhyanathan
Source: BBC.com
November 13, 2020

US Pundits Question Trump's Attempt to Ban Tiktok, Wechat

“We are behind the curve on misinformation and there's plenty of domestic misinformation in the US. Leading up to the election, it's going to be insane.” — James Dempsey, Executive Director, Berkeley Center for Law & Technology

James Dempsey
Source: Global Times
October 11, 2020

One Person’s Internet Junk Is Another Person’s Treasure

“People who would be protected by this bill dehumanize other individuals, call people cockroaches. It might be legal, but it’s terrible.” — Eric Goldman, Professor of Law, Santa Clara University
Eric Goldman
Source: Mercury News
September 10, 2020