Professor Eric Schnapper Represented Plaintiffs in Blockbuster Supreme Court Cases
University of Washington School of Law Professor Eric Schnapper presented legal arguments this week before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the plaintiffs in a couple blockbuster Supreme Court cases, Gonzalez v. Google LLC and Twitter v. Taamneh, that could upend Internet regulation.
Representing the family of Nohemi Gonzalez in Gonzalez v. Google LLC, Schnapper argued on Tuesday, February 21, that Section 230 does not immunize YouTube for the catalog of recommendations it creates through algorithmic tools. Schnapper urged the Supreme Court to narrow the protections given to tech companies, thus keeping pace with technological developments since 1996. Social media platforms pushing algorithmic recommendations could have included protections against harmful or defamatory content but were not designed in a way that excludes content like the ISIS videos that YouTube recommended to potential terrorist recruits. Media coverage such as this segment by PBS NewsHour includes commentary by tech and legal analysts on the arguments.
Then, on Wednesday, February 22, representing the family of Nawras Alassaf, a Jordanian citizen killed in the 2017 ISIS attack in Istanbul, Schnapper presented legal arguments in Twitter v. Taamneh that Twitter contributed to the attack by hosting ISIS content. The related case allows victims of international terrorism to sue those knowingly aiding or abetting the terrorists.
The landmark cases carry significant stakes for the Internet at-large. An expansion of the legal risks afforded to apps and websites for hosting, recommending or suggesting content could lead to major changes at social media companies.
Watch the coverage from PBS News Hour: "Supreme Court case could roll back legal immunity for social media companies," along with recent media coverage at the links below.
Recent Media Mentions
- The Only Thing That May Be More Interesting Than The Section 230 Cases Is That It's The Same Lawyer, Twice (Professor Schnapper discussed)
FEB 24, 2023 | SOURCE: ABOVE THE LAW
- In Twitter, Google suits, Supreme Court seems unlikely to expand liability (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 22, 2023 | SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST
- Twitter struggles to convince SCOTUS it isn’t bolstering terrorists (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 22, 2023 | SOURCE: ARS TECHNICA
- Justices Skeptical Of Twitter's Liability For Terrorism (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 22, 2023 | SOURCE: LAW360
- The Supreme Court Might Not Crack Down on Big Tech After All (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 22, 2023 | SOURCE: THE NEW REPUBLIC
- The case that would upend internet regulation already fizzling at high court (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 22, 2023 | SOURCE: COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
- Supreme Court wary of weakening internet's Section 230 (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 21, 2023 | SOURCE: LAW360
- Justices Worried About Breaking The Internet (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 21, 2023 | SOURCE: LAW360
- Highlights from Supreme Court arguments in Google case that could change internet (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 21, 2023 | SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST
- Section 230 liability protections on trial in Google Supreme Court case (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 21, 2023 | SOURCE: COMPUTERWORLD
- The Internet Had a Weird Day at the Supreme Court (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 21, 2023 | SOURCE: THE NEW REPUBLIC
- Law Professor Lands High Court Tech Cases Due to Conflict Rules (Professor Schnapper)
FEB 17, 2023 | SOURCE: BLOOMBERG LAW
- Up Next At High Court: Big Tech Goes To First Street (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 17, 2023 | SOURCE: LAW360
- The case that could change the internet (Professor Schnapper quoted)
FEB 17, 2023 | SOURCE: COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
- Army Generals Ask High Court to Keep Terror Aid Decision (Professor Schnapper)
JAN 19, 2023 | SOURCE: LAW360
- Supreme Court Poised to Reconsider Key Tenets of Online Speech (Professor Schnapper)
JAN 19, 2023 | SOURCE: NEW YORK TIMES
- The Supreme Court has steered clear of immunity for tech companies — until now (Prof. Schnapper quoted)
OCT 03, 2022 | SOURCE: SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE