DISCUSS: The Responsibility Of Internet Platforms

French police have arrested Pavel Durov, who holds both Russian and French citizenship, for facilitating crimes. Durov is the CEO of Telegram, a messaging app that is encrypted, making its texts all but impossible to trace. That has made it a favorite of drug dealers, human traffickers, child pornographers, and other criminals. Then again, it is also a favorite of dissident groups under authoritarian governments.

Should internet platforms, the companies that operate them, and the people who work for them be held responsible for what is communicated over them? Many countries and regulators are saying “yes,” requiring social media platforms to monitor what users say, ban certain categories of speech, “fact check” political statements, and censor offensive comments.

I know we all like to see internet moguls squirm. And we would love to find a way to limit the damage that social media networks can do. But how is it fair to blame the platform for what is said on it?

What about telephones? Do we expect Verizon or ATT to monitor, fact check, and remove bad actors? Criminals use telephones. There is a legal mechanism for tapping their phones with a warrant, but the phone companies are not held to be responsible for people’s phone calls. Similarly, laws could allow authorities to tap into criminals’ social media accounts under certain circumstances and with legal protections. But don’t have laws to punish the companies that operate the communication medium and those who work for them.

Or am I missing something? Do you have any solutions?