Christianne Carafano Essay Example

justify">The appellate court rejected Carafano’s claim that and found Matchmaker not responsible for the false content provided by someone posing as another person since Matchmaker is not an “information content provider” but instead an “interactive computer service” which allows its members to post their respective information on the Web.  Thus, 47 U.S.C. Section 230c(1) granted most of Internet services immunity from  liability for publishing false or defamatory material as long as the information came from another party.

This provision is part of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 which is primarily because of two reasons: for the promotion of free exchange of information and ideas over the Internet and to encourage voluntary monitoring for offensive or obscene material.  Since Americans are increasingly relying on materials from the interactive media, Congress has deemed it “policy of the United States” to “promote the continued development of the Internet and other interactive computer services”.

Moreover, under the statutory laws, “an interactive computer service qualifies for immunity so long as it does not function as an “information content provider for the portion of the statement or publication at issue”.  This immunity is attributed to the fact that Interactive computer services have million of users and it would be impossible for them to screen each of its members for possible problems.  Since Congress deemed service providers such as Matchmakers as immune from suit, the claim must be rejected despite the serious consequences of the case.