Online platforms have become a hub for activism and community, bringing people together through shared identity, struggles, and causes they care about. Our digital world helps organizations and vulnerable individuals gain the resources they need to influence positive change.
Today, NetChoice released a new video highlighting the ways Section 230 enables online communities and protects the ability of marginalized individuals to connect online. Marginalized voices are amplified in today’s online spaces and we cannot stand idly by when they’ll likely be silenced without Section 230.
Section 230 allows us all to have a voice on online platforms. This is particularly important for vulnerable and marginalized groups who may not otherwise have effective ways for their voices to be heard.
“As a gay person growing up in a rural area, I relied heavily on LGBT forums online when I was younger to connect with people like me when no other resources or support were available,” said Robert Winterton, Director of Public Affairs at NetChoice. “Without these online spaces, LGBT people would be forced back to a darker era where impactful support systems could only exist offline.”
“Online platforms provide a critical way for communities to come together and take part in movements like Pride or Black Lives Matter,” continued Robert Winterton. “Thanks to the balance Section 230 provides, every community can feel comfortable, safe, and able to express themselves through digital words, photos, and resources.”
“An overhaul of Section 230 would spell disaster for LGBT organizations and domestic violence shelters that have been able to harness the power of online forums to help those who might not have an ally to turn to,” continued Winterton.
You can find the video on NetChoice’s YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts.
In the NetChoice video we highlight how:
- Before the internet, vulnerable populations often lacked real-time resources to access safe and supportive communities.
- Social media has enabled marginalized voices to be heard on a national level, amplifying the message of movements like Black Lives Matter or #MeToo.
- Without Section 230, websites could be pressured to remove legitimate content from minority voices to avoid litigation.
NetChoice is a trade association that works to fight for free expression and free enterprise online.