The digital age has brought about a new era of expression, as the federal government waits on the sidelines to act, states have stepped in to regulate social media platforms, enacting laws with profound potential to disrupt the future of digital media, free speech, and the business of big tech. Regulations run the gamut from full-out TikTok bans to prohibitions on discriminatory content, running up against Section 230 protections.

These proposed and enacted laws raise new legal questions, including how the proposed protections test the boundaries of the First Amendment rights awarded to social media companies where social media platforms serve as global forums for free speech, but also as battlegrounds for misinformation, hate speech, and harmful content. As these platforms navigate the complexities of content moderation, they face constant tension with the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech.

This symposium brings together leading legal scholars, policymakers, and digital rights experts to examine the legal, ethical, and practical challenges of content moderation in the age of social media. The event features thought-provoking keynote and panel discussions addressing the evolving landscape of platform regulation, free speech, and digital governance.