Ellysse and Ashley Break the Internet

What exactly is Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and why is a 1996 law so important today? Why have Presidents Biden and Trump both said they want to repeal it? Was it to blame when Twitter and Facebook banned Trump from their platforms, or was it the reason they didn’t ban him sooner? Join policy analysts from the world’s leading tech policy think tank as they break down one of the most contentious debates about free speech, intermediary liability, and the future of the Internet. Ellysse and Ashley Break the Internet takes a deep dive into the ins and outs of Section 230, providing fresh insights and new perspectives with leading policy experts, advisers, and advocates from across the political spectrum. This 12-episode series asks what will happen if policymakers keep or repeal the law credited with creating the Internet and explores the opportunities for Congress to make the law even better. The first two episodes will drop on Wednesday, February 24. New episodes will follow in pairs every week.

Podcasting since 2021 • 13 episodes

Ellysse and Ashley Break the Internet

Latest Episodes

What the Future Holds for Section 230, With Neil Chilson

Neil Chilson, tech policy expert at the Charles Koch Institute and former FTC chief technologist, joins Ellysse and Ashley to forecast where the debate surrounding Section 230 is heading and present a vision for the future of content and online...

March 31, 2021 • Episode 12 • 22:30

Section 230 and the Need for Change, With Andrew Bolson

Andrew Bolson, privacy lawyer advocating for Section 230 reform, joins Ellysse and Ashley to evaluate the need for Section 230 reform in order to protect consumers and limit online abuse, suggest what form that should take, and explain the risk...

March 31, 2021 • Episode 11 • 30:32

How Section 230 Safeguards Civil Liberties, With Jennifer Huddleston

Jennifer Huddleston, tech policy expert at the American Action Forum, joins Ellysse and Ashley to highlight the benefits of Section 230 for free speech, competition, and innovation and explore the potential implications of new regulations for c...

March 24, 2021 • Episode 10 • 31:18

Section 230 and the Fight Against Online Abuse, With Elisa D’Amico

Elisa D’Amico, co-founder of the Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project—which provides pro bono legal assistance to victims of nonconsensual pornography—joins Ellysse and Ashley to explain the unique challenges the Internet poses for combatting onlin...

March 24, 2021 • Episode 9 • 32:56

An International Perspective on Section 230, With David Kaye

David Kaye, free speech expert at the University of California, Irvine, joins Ellysse and Ashley to explore the challenges of developing effective and culturally relevant content moderation policies in different countries and how intermediary l...

March 17, 2021 • Episode 8 • 39:54

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