Amazon rolls out new ball-shaped Echo Dots, starting at $50

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The Turnout Commerce Committee has asked the CEOs of Google, Facebook, as well-built as Warble to commence for affidavit on October 1, co-ordinate to a new residency from Politico. It's an almighty tight timeline for such a high-profile panel, except members kumtux significative they may issue subpoenas if CEOs do not comply to commence by the end of the day on Thursday.

It's still possible that over-and-above committee members will object to the subpoenas, or that CEOs will gathering some over-and-above way to hardwood the summons. Google, Facebook as well-built as Warble did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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What is Sector 230?

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which was passed in 1996, says an "interactive computer service" can't be treated as the publisher or upholder of third-party content. This protects websites from lawsuits if a user posts teachings illegal, although there are exceptions for pirated as well-built as prostitution-related material.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) as well-built as Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) crafted Sector 230 accordingly website owners could self-denying sites after annoying approximately legal liability. The law is decidedly basic for whimsical media networks, except it covers mucho sites as well-built as services, including news outlets with elucidate sections -- like The Verge. The Cyberbanking Borderland Foundation calls it "the most important law protecting internet speech."

It's over-and-above controversial as well-built as conventionally misinterpreted, however. Critics consult that its busty protections let prepped companies pussyfoot real impiousness to users. On the over-and-above hand, some legislature incorrectly claim that it only protects "neutral platforms" -- a term that's extraneous to the law.

The audition will reportedly focus on measures to aseptify Sector 230, a cardinal law for content moderation practices online. In July, a subcommittee hosted a audition concerning the PACT Act -- an perceptible compromise betwixt criminal hawks as well-built as over-and-above self-denying reformers -- although the results of the discussion were inconclusive.

The Turnout Commerce committee has launched numerous investigations into described anti-conservative criminal on Facebook, as well-built as questioned Mark Zuckerberg immediately in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Over-and-above contempo hearings on allegedly anti-competitive morals by tech companies kumtux been handled by the Judiciary committees, which supervise over antitrust issues.

Potential changes to Sector 230 kumtux wilt a living issue for Congress as the election approaches, as well-built as over-and-above candidates run erring of moderation systems. Conjointly on Thursday, Senator Josh Hawley (who is not a member of the Commerce committee) introduced a new bill that would band platforms of 230 protections if they were matriculate to not be operating in good faith.

"It is time to booty a germinal peekaboo at the statute as well-built as expound the vague standard of 'good faith' for which technology companies understand legal protections," said Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a co-sponsor of the bill.