Platform Accountability
We evaluate and develop legislative strategies to prevent misinformation and disinformation, voter suppression, hate speech, discriminatory practices, and other content that harm Black communities.
Joint Center Technology Policy Director Dr. Dominique Harrison Discusses AI Bias on Knight Foundation Podcast
Joint Center Technology Policy Director Dr. Dominique Harrison joined the Knight Foundation’s podcast, The Future of Democracy, to discuss AI bias and “how to prevent harm to communities of color on tech platforms.” Watch the conversation below.
Big Tech CEOs Must Do More than Admit Misinformation is Harmful to Communities of Color
As Congress reckons with misinformation plaguing online platforms, Black communities continue to face discrimination, anti-Blackness, and material harm facilitated by agitators on social media platforms. We know that tech can exacerbate and facilitate harm towards Black communities. We don’t know to what extent the government needs to regulate Big Tech to prevent harm and bias.…
Both House and Senate Bills on Section 230 Reform Include Joint Center Proposal
The U.S. House and Senate both announced legislation to include an exemption for civil rights in the Section 230 of the Communications Act. Joint Center President Spencer Overton included the proposal to include the civil rights exemption in the Section 230 act in his law review article State Power to Regulate Social Media Companies to Prevent…
Joint Center President Speaks to Harvard Law School Students on Law & Tech
Joint Center President Spencer Overton virtually joined Harvard Law School’s 1L class to discuss how he first became interested in law and technology, digital technologies, Section 230, and more. During the discussion, Spencer explained how digital technologies have massive positive potential including helping small Black businesses connect with customers, and facilitating telehealth and virtual work.…
Joint Center President Answers Additional Questions from Members of Congress on Disinformation Online
Joint Center President Spencer Overton provided additional written responses to questions from Members of Congress after his testimony at the Subcommittee on Elections of the Committee on House Administration hearing entitled “Voting Rights and Election Administration: Combating Misinformation in the 2020 Election.” Read Spencer’s full written responses to the follow-up questions (8-pages) here. Read Spencer’s…
Joint Center President: Senate Tech CEO Hearing is a Play to Discourage Removal of Election Disinformation
Slate just published this commentary on today’s Senate hearing featuring the CEOs of Facebook, Google, and Twitter co-written by Joint Center President Spencer Overton and Professor Danielle Keats Citron. Their bottom line: “The Senate hearing six days before Election Day is an obvious play to chill social-media companies’ efforts to remove election disinformation. The goal is to ensure…
Joint Center and GW Law Host Debate on Section 230 With Key Experts
The Joint Center partnered with George Washington University School of Law to host a debate entitled Should Congress Amend The Communications Decency Act to Address Discriminatory Ad Targeting by Social Media? Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA) provided opening remarks. Panelists included Boston University Professor of Law Danielle Keats Citron, Former Wikimedia…
Joint Center Participates in Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s ‘Policy Meets Practice: Training in Action’ Series
Spencer participated in the first session of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s “Policy Meets Practice: Training in Action” series. The session, entitled Voting Rights and Black America, had panelists discuss “tactics for effective voter mobilization and provide a historical lens of Black voter engagement methods that effectively influenced policy action and representation.” Other panelists included…
Joint Center Participates in Howard University King Lecture Series on Voting Rights
On October 7, Joint Center President Spencer Overton participated in Howard University’s 2020-21 Gwendolyn S. and Colbert I. King Endowed Chair in Public Policy Lecture Series in a session entitled Seize Your Power: Your Voice, Your Vote. In the session, Spencer discussed voter suppression and how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Black voters. Other participants…
Joint Center Joins National Urban League Panel on Social Media Regulation & Civil Rights
On October 20, Joint Center President Spencer Overton joined National Urban League (NUL)’s panel entitled Social Media Regulation: The New Frontier in the Fight for Civil Rights. In the panel, Spencer discussed voter suppression, Section 230, and disinformation online. Other panelists include U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, National Black Justice Coalition…