Statement on Gonzalez v. Google

The following statement is attributed to Kate Tummarello, Executive Director of Engine:

Statement:

"In declining to reinterpret Section 230, the Supreme Court has left intact a critical law that enables Internet companies of all sizes and with varying communities of users to host and moderate all kinds of content. This is good for the startups who rely on Section 230 to prevent ruinous lawsuits, the creators who use the Internet to share content and build audiences, and user expression online."

Background:

Section 230, a foundational Internet law that has led to the user-generated Internet we have today, is especially critical to startups as they attempt to navigate the inherently fraught and difficult task of content moderation. The law prevents lawsuits over user content that would cost the startup hosting that content hundreds of thousands of dollars, even in the overwhelmingly likely scenario that the startup wins the lawsuit.

Engine signed onto an amicus brief with M. Chris Riley and Floor64 explaining the value of Section 230 to small platforms, and through the Digital Entrepreneur Project, Engine worked with 18 creators and the Authors' Alliance to file an amicus brief explaining the value of Section 230 to creators.