Section 230 protects on-line content hosting companies from being liable for things their members’ post. That is how it should be. But like any other condition, there are exceptions.
If a hosting company (social network or search or blog etc.,) provides hosting for the opinions or topics generated by others, then it has no responsibility for what those others say on that platform, unless:
A: The hosting company edited, modified or in any way touched the content. Such action is editing and makes the hosting provider a publisher completely responsible for its content regardless of where it is sourced.
B: The hosting company was aware of content that violates its policies or law but fails to act upon it
It really is that simple.
Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act: states that “no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” All it takes is adding:
“content provider: unless the provider had edited, modified or in any way managed the content, which then makes the content provider a publisher and responsible for the content it has chosen to publish.”
If you choose to house content created by another, you are housing it and not knowing what it is, is a defense. Your knowing what it is and not acting, is not a defense.
For more Internet Censorship see https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/22-6734.html