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Apps, Online Businesses, and Section 230

Section 230 is a law that allows online services—like websites and apps—to provide people with easy access to information, promote free expression, and responsibly manage harmful content.

People enjoy many online services like mobile and desktop applications, games, and marketplaces. Thanks to Section 230, it’s easier for small and medium web-based developers to innovate and create new games and apps.

Without Section 230, developers of these online services would face immense difficulties launching new games and apps. App stores and other online marketplaces that host these online services would face increased legal risks for allowing new, unverified apps and services. With significant hurdles and a burdensome verification process, it will become difficult for web-based developers to update existing apps, games, and services and even more challenging to launch new services.

Without Section 230, what do apps and online businesses stand to lose?

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Changes to Section 230 may discourage app stores from hosting apps by new developers, because of increased liability for app store services. As a result, new online businesses who are not pre-vetted by the app stores could face many obstacles, including long wait times and burdensome processes, to find a mainstream service willing to host their app for download or purchase.

Access to customers
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Changes to Section 230 could also cause increased liability for apps, games, and websites as they could become liable for any content uploaded by their users, creating huge risks and expenses. This would make it harder, if not impossible for these businesses to find investment.

Ability to attract investment
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Without Section 230, app, game, and website creators could face many unanswered questions about both hosting content and having access to app stores, which could discourage new apps from being quickly created, especially apps, games, and websites that host new content.

Opportunities to innovate and create
LEARN MORE

Recently, US policymakers have considered changes to Section 230 that could alter how everyone interacts online and have unintended, harmful consequences for online businesses, including apps, games, and online businesses and other start-ups. Learn more about these policy proposals and the potential risks.

video
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What The Internet Would Look Like Without User Content

How user-generated content, content moderation, and innovation is at risk under changes to Section 230
blog
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Developers Alliance On Why Free Speech And Section 230 Work Hand In Hand

For an overview of this issue from the Developers Alliance, please click here.