Danielle Davis

The debate over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has become increasingly polarized, with Democrats typically advocating for stronger content moderation to combat disinformation and hate speech, while Republicans argue that platforms engage in political bias when moderating content, pushing for less restrictive rules. Amid these debates, surveys suggest that Black Americans are slightly more inclined than other groups to support the ability to sue platforms for harmful actions by third-party users.

The first brief explains how  Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act influences the digital landscape for Black users. While Section 230 has helped foster free expression and innovation online, it also creates gaps in accountability — enabling the spread of harmful and discriminatory content with limited consequences for platforms.

In our increasingly connected world, dependable and reasonably priced internet access is an essential lifeline. However, on February 7, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will end enrollments for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a broadband affordability program benefitting over 20 million households.

This paper presents a history of the digital divide, major steps in closing it, and how we can continue expanding access to transform lives for communities of color. To close the digital divide, policymakers should focus on: 1) further expanding access, 2) increasing adoption, and 3) encouraging skill development.