Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Case That Could Reshape the Internet and Impact Tech Companies

The Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments on Tuesday in a case that could have far-reaching implications for the future of the internet. The case, brought by the family of a woman killed in a terrorist attack, seeks to hold Google liable for her death. The family argues that Google should be held responsible for the content it recommends to users.

At the same time, the court is also considering the scope of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that is credited with helping create the modern internet. The law grants tech companies such as Google, Twitter, and Facebook immunity from lawsuits over their targeted recommendations of videos, documents, and other content.

The case has been closely watched by tech companies of all sizes, who fear that a decision by the court could reshape how websites recommend and moderate content, and render them vulnerable to lawsuits.

The justices seemed unlikely to side with the family in the case at hand, but their hesitancy and the fact that they were wading into new territory suggests that they may not issue a sweeping decision with unknown ramifications.

The court is expected to issue a ruling in the case by the end of June. Until then, tech companies will be closely watching the case to see how it could affect the future of the internet.