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Jeff Kosseff

The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet 1st Edition

by Jeff Kosseff (Author)

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As seen on CBS 60 Minutes

"No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."

Did you know that these twenty-six words are responsible for much of America's multibillion-dollar online industry? What we can and cannot write, say, and do online is based on just one law―a law that protects online services from lawsuits based on user content. Jeff Kosseff exposes the workings of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which has lived mostly in the shadows since its enshrinement in 1996. Because many segments of American society now exist largely online, Kosseff argues that we need to understand and pay attention to what Section 230 really means and how it affects what we like, share, and comment upon every day.

The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet tells the story of the institutions that flourished as a result of this powerful statute. It introduces us to those who created the law, those who advocated for it, and those involved in some of the most prominent cases decided under the law. Kosseff assesses the law that has facilitated freedom of online speech, trolling, and much more. His keen eye for the law, combined with his background as an award-winning journalist, demystifies a statute that affects all our lives –for good and for ill. While Section 230 may be imperfect and in need of refinement, Kosseff maintains that it is necessary to foster free speech and innovation.

For filings from many of the cases discussed in the book and updates about Section 230, visit jeffkosseff.com

ISBN-10

1501714414
ISBN-13

978-1501714412
Edition

1st
Publisher

Cornell University Press
Publication date

April 15, 2019
Language

English
Dimensions

6 x 1.03 x 9 inches
Print length

328 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kosseff has a thorough grasp of his material, and readers will find his exploration of Section 230 balanced, timely, and consistently thought-provoking."

― Publishers Weekly

"Kosseff's book is timely, given the intensifying debate about whether Congress should find ways to hold Internet companies accountable for third-party speech that harms individuals and society as a whole. But the book's value goes beyond timing. The author's background as a journalist and his current roles as a professor and a lawyer enable him to produce an engaging narrative that explains the law clearly and compels us to think about speech in the modern age and who is responsible when it is harmful."

― The Washington Post

"Americans are of two minds about the internet: They rely on it and fear it, they immerse themselves in it for hours and deplore its social consequences. Jeff Kosseff's The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet is in many ways the story of how and why this happened."

― The Wall Street Journal

"Kosseff presents an insider's account of the current dispute over whether a website should be permitted to profit from publishing advertisements that sell illegal sexual services possibly performed by minors. This book is extremely timely as both US lawmakers and the nation's courts are struggling over the proper regulation of online hate speech, fake news, political bias, and other systematic manipulations employing this increasingly powerful form of communication."

― Choice

"An important history of one component of the rise of the Internet as a business. Kosseff translates legalspeak into understandable and frequently compelling prose."

― American Historical Review

Review

"A comprehensive, thoughtful and greatly needed treatment of the the law that gave birth to the internet as we know it. This book is bound to shape the conversation about the nature of online activity for years to come."

-- Joseph E. Kennedy, University of North Carolina School of Law

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cornell University Press; 1st edition (April 15, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501714414
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501714412
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 0.988 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.03 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #376,467 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #11 in Computer & Internet Law
- #19 in Science & Technology Law (Books)
- #549 in Internet & Telecommunications

Customer Reviews:
118 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

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A M

Interesting and clear

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 2, 2022

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The book reviews the history of the law that protects interactive websites from prosecution due to defamation. The discussion is interesting and straightforward, but there are too many unimportant details in some places.

Helpful

Jeff Jarvis

The book that might save the internet

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 5, 2019

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The level of misunderstanding about Section 230 in media and government is astounding. All they have to do is read Kosseff's book to clear up their misunderstanding. The New York Times made a colossal mistake confusing Section 230 with the First Amendment. I hear media people all the time thinking they can't moderate comments because of Section 230 (the opposite is true). I see politicians going after Section 230 because they think it is the root of the net's problems (they are dead wrong). Section 230 is our best protection of free expression and human dignity on the net, for as Kosseff clearly explains, it is intended to enable the public conversation (by not making platforms -- including news organizations -- liable for what others do on their sites) and it is also intended to empower platforms and media companies to moderate what people do on their sites to their own standards. The law is short and clear and is vital to the future of the net and the public conversation on it.
Kosseff puts forward an excellent history of the development of legislation and case law on free expression in books, movies, and other media. He talks with the creators of Section 230 and explains their goals and motives. He outlines the debate about the law.
That debate is now reaching a critical phase in both media and Washington. Thus Kosseff's book is a document of urgent importance. I wish some rich person would come along to buy every member of Congress and every news organization a copy so they don't keep screwing this up.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

J. Lee

Entertaining, educational and provoking

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 12, 2021

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I really didn’t expect this level of enjoyment from reading a book about a serious law material. This book is entertaining almost like a thrilling mini series to me due to the author’s great storytelling. Vivid arguments in various courtrooms over decades, sad stories of victims, some hilarious cases (especially Smith), unjust and unfair cases, interesting judges, … I just enjoyed reading them over cover to cover.

It is definitely educational. I don't have any legal background and I hardly knew Section 230. After the joyful reading, I could learn history, importance and main issues of Section 230. I believe it is a must-read to many people including software engineers like me.

I couldn’t be comfortable when the author compared the amount of benefit of Section 230, which has promoted proliferation of US Internet business, to the amount of suffering of women, children, and unfairly defamed people. However, I believe the author, on purpose, provoked this discussion. Including his own sincere opinion, he introduced various discussions deeply in later chapters, which helped me to think a lot.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Marc M. Morrison

The most well researched book about Section 230 and free speech on the Internet

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 26, 2019

Verified Purchase

Many are calling for regulation of the tech industry. This book does an excellent job of outlining the “it’s not that simple” aspect of the debate. Some say big tech is doing too much to silence legitimate conversations and others say they are not doing enough to combat hate speech and false information.

Regardless of which side you fall on it is important to know the history and this book is a well written account. Professor Kosseff does an excellent job of both presenting the history of Section 230, but also mixing in his well reasoned opinions about how we should proceed. Most importantly posing the question of if you don’t want big tech regulating the internet, you better think long and hard about who you do want, and what that will look like.

This should be a mandatory read for any tech reporter who even utters the words “Section 230”. Thanks for the information.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Austin

Must read on 230

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 14, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book should be required reading for anyone calling for change on Section 230.

There has been plenty of calling for Section 230 abolishment, reform, or to be the same.

Much of the conversation doesn’t have the background of why it was made, or implications on what would actually happen if it were to be abolished.

It wasn’t dull for being a book about 26 words that were jammed into law.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kapster

Great history of liability limitations on the internet

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 16, 2020

Verified Purchase

I learned a great deal about the history of legal battles around limiting liability for internet platforms. The book presents a balanced view of the many implications that any particular policy choice might generate. There is no path that does not create some unfairness or other negative consequences and I now have a better understanding of these trade offs.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

GWG

Great review and analysis of a law that underpins the Internet

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 9, 2019

Verified Purchase

This book provides a detailed history of how section 230 if the Communications Decency Act came to be, its importance and its problems as the industry of the Internet matures. While it is ultimately a defense of that law, it is an eyes wide open look at it as well. It is not a prophet's telling of what to do, but instead an informative read that gives the reader an ability to assess what might be done to address the issues 230 raises.

4 people found this helpful

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Neil Schwartz

Thank you

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Great and informative read. I would recommend this for any intellectual property attorney or consumer. Look forward to more books by this author.

Helpful

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Stephen

Intermediary liability must read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 14, 2019

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This book is an engaging and comprehensive explanation of the history and development of the CDA - one of the most important laws governing the Internet as we know it today.

Daniel Olvera

GRAN LIBRO

Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on March 22, 2022

Verified Purchase

El libro llegó en muy buen estado, la única observación que tengo es que la portada del libro es negra y no viene impresa la imagen que contiene el título del libro y el nombre del autor; es decir, solamente trae una sobrecubierta. Aún así disfrutaré mucho este libro y lo guardaré en mi colección :)

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