Regulating Big Tech

The drum beat to reign in the power of “Big Tech” continues. This panel considers the government’s ability to regulate a handful of powerful companies that run the world’s dominant communications platforms. The panel pays particular attention to whether government should use antitrust and competition policy to serve democratic ends. In addition, the panel discusses recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions relating to platform liability for third-party content, Gonzales v. Google LLC (whether Section 230 applies when algorithms recommend content created by third-party users), and Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh (whether Twitter, Facebook and Google can be liable for aiding and abetting international terrorism based on ISIS’ use of the companies’ platforms). Finally, the panel considesr challenges to state efforts to regulate content moderation.

Speakers:

Mary-Rose Papandrea, Samuel Ashe Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law, University of North Carolina School of Law

Rebecca Hall Allensworth, Associate Dean for Research, David Daniels Allen Professor of Law, Vanderbilt Law School

Enrique Armijo, Professor of Law, Elon University School of Law and Adjunct Professor of Law, Wake Forest University Law School

Jennifer Huddleston, Technology Policy Research Fellow, Cato Institute

Recorded: 8/2/2023