The Internet and new technologies give individuals the ability to publish and receive information, participate in political processes and share knowledge. CDT has fought to extend the highest level of free speech protections to the Internet and to keep new technologies free of government censorship and content gatekeepers. Private online service providers need to be protected from legal liability for content posted by users so that they will be willing to host it. User choice and control, which allow individuals to decide what to say, publish and access online, are essential parts of protecting free expression rights.
The Internet must remain an open platform for users’ speech, access to information, and innovation.
Parents and kids should be empowered to choose what information they access and share on the Internet. Education, not age-based regulation, is key.
Intermediaries like content platforms and ISPs must be able to support a robust online environment for free expression without fear of legal liability for users’ speech.
While new technologies present amazing opportunities, they also pose new challenges when it comes to protecting copyright.