Social Media Communication News: Real-Time Classroom Discussion Starters
Social Media Laws Would Empower Users To Sue
Republicans proposed new state laws that would allow lawsuits against social media companies that block content. The Associated Press reports that about two dozen state legislatures are considering "bills that would allow for civil lawsuits against platforms for what they call the 'censorship' of posts."
In two states, Democrats also are proposing laws that "called for greater scrutiny of big tech."Civil
liability of online sites has been limited under Section 230, which became
federal law at the dawn of the Internet. However, many of former
President Donald Trump's posts were labeled before he was permanently
banned from Twitter. He is appealing a Facebook ban in connection with
the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack.
- YouTube plans to reverse its ban on Donald Trump "when the risk of violence decreases," Business Insider reports. The CEO said, "I think it's pretty clear that that elevated violence risk still remains."
- Parler filed a new lawsuit claiming that it was valued at $1 billion when Amazon AWS removed it from the cloud.
- A new survey finds that, "43% of US residents distrust TikTok and 42.6% distrust Facebook."
ICYMI: Cat Filter Internet Star
A Texas lawyer's accidental cat filter during a live Zoom court hearing sparked global amusement. The BBC reported that Rod Ponton did not know the event would turn him into a celebrity.
"I'm here live," Ponton explained. "I'm not a cat."
"In Texas we have a phrase that you can't put toothpaste back in the tube," Ponton says. "If this was going to become an internet sensation I just had to laugh at myself along with everybody else doing so."
Judge
Roy Ferguson shared the video, and it became sticky social media
content. The judge told other lawyers to make sure their filters are off
before joining a live courtroom session.