Final answer:
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides immunity to internet service providers and online platforms from being liable for user-generated content, allowing the modern internet to function without platforms bearing legal risks for their users' actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) provides immunity to internet service providers and other online platforms from being held liable for the content their users post.
The Communications Decency Act of 1995 was enacted to protect minors from indecent material on the internet, with the intention of making it illegal to transmit such material to minors. However, Section 230 specifically shields websites and online platforms from liability for what their users may post. This effectively means that if a user were to post something illegal or harmful on a platform, the platform itself would not be held responsible, as long as they were not involved in the creation of the content.
This particular section is notable because it has been key in allowing the modern internet to function by letting platforms host user-generated content without bearing the legal risks associated with each user's actions. It also differentiates between different types of service providers, as the indecency restrictions do not apply to cable or satellite operators in the same way they do to radio and television broadcasters.