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slgyesterday at 11:42 PM1 replyview on HN

>People like their recommendation engines.

People liked cigarettes too.

>They want Netflix to show them more similar shows.

Perhaps that example was a little too revealing on your end. Netflix doesn't have/need Section 230 protections and they're doing fine.

I'm not suggesting these algorithms should be illegal, just that Section 230 protections were defined too broadly because they predated the feasibility of these type of algorithms. These platforms would be free to continue algorithmic promotion, but I believe these algorithms would be less harmful if the platforms had to worry about potential legal liability.

Think YouTube and copyright for comparison. The DMCA is far from perfect, but we have YouTube as an example of a platform that survived and even thrived in the transition from a world that didn't care about copyrighted internet video to one in which they that needed to moderate with copyright in mind.


Replies

Aurornisyesterday at 11:50 PM

> People liked cigarattes too.

Cigarettes weren’t made illegal. Cigarette companies are not liable for their user’s choice to consume them. What’s your point?

> Perhaps that example was a little too revealing on your end. Netflix doesn't have/need Section 230 protections and they're doing fine.

Perhaps it was a little too revealing on your end that you conveniently ignored my other example of Reddit.

If you need to cherry pick to make your point it doesn’t look very strong.

I still don’t see consistency in your argument that Section 230 should still apply to Hacker News but not, for example, Reddit, simply because one of them allows users to personalize the content they see.

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