Reference no: EM133811470
Assignment:
On January 31, 2024, the leaders of Meta, Discord, TikTok, X, and Snapchat were called on to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing focused on the negative effects of social media on children. Parents whose children had suffered from online bullying, harassment, sexual exploitation, and eating disorders, and some whose children were driven to commit suicide, were in the audience.
One of the proposed bills is called the Stop CSAM Act, proposed by Senator Richard Durbin (CSAM refers to Child Sexual Abuse Materials). If signed into law, it would make it easier for people who believe their children have been exploited to sue tech companies that have allowed sexually abusive materials to appear on their sites.
Currently, social media sites both large and small are protected against such suits by a law known as Section 230, which was originally part of the Communications Decency Act. What that means, in simple terms, is that social media companies are not responsible for the material posted on their sites. They are essentially an intermediary facilitating communication among the site's users. Supporters of Section 230 believe that it is vital to free speech, and that the sheer volume of content on social media platforms makes it impossible for companies to prevent objectionable content from being posted.
What do you think? Consider the following questions
- There is no doubt that many children have been harmed by social media. However, some would argue that bills like the Stop CSAM would have a chilling effect on free speech and result in many frivolous lawsuits. Are you in favor of this law? Why or why not?
- Consider the StopCSAM law from one or more workable ethical theories, such as social contract theory, utilitarianism, or Kantianism. Which theory or theories would support passage of this bill into law? Explain your thoughts.