The US Supreme Court is going to look at a case that might decide what happens to the internet in the future
This court case that's going to the Supreme Court could be really important for the future of the internet as we know it.
image source Google
Google is facing a legal challenge in America's top court that could force the company to take responsibility for videos recommended by YouTube to its users.
image source Google
The challenge is the result of a legal campaign by the family of a victim of the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks who say that YouTube recommended extremist content to users.
image source Google
If Google loses the case, it could threaten a legal shield that search engines and social networks have used for 27 years to avoid liability for illegal videos, messages, and pictures on their services.
image source Google
The shield is granted by the Section 230 law, which broadly grants immunity to websites that host and manage content uploaded by users.
image source Google
The family of the victim argues that this shield is forfeited when sites like YouTube use algorithms that prioritize some posts and videos over others.
image source Google
A ruling against Google could force internet companies to more tightly police their sites for violent or explicit content since almost all major websites use some form of algorithm to manage user-posted material.
image source Google
The case against Twitter, brought by the family of a victim of a 2017 terrorist attack in Istanbul, is also due to be heard on Wednesday.
image source Google
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the cases in the summer, and a decision against Google risks mass censorship of the internet.
image source Google
President Joe Biden has said he wants to see the law reformed to force internet companies to take more responsibility for violent material.