The Dishonor of Dating Apps: Sexual Offenders and Section 230

This article explores the legalities of Section 230, particularly the (c)(1) and (c)(2) provisions, as under Title 47 of the United States Code part of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. Section 230 (c)(1) essentially provides immunity to network providers and users from almost any liability for third-party content, with certain exceptions, produced on the network or application. This article first explicates the history of Section 230 and its initial aims in the context of its creation. Furthermore, this article explores the effects of this section of the law as it relates to the behaviors of users on dating apps, particularly the effect of Section 230 on the perpetuation of sexual offense crimes on these apps. This will primarily be illustrated through the case study of Herrick v. Grindr LLC Case of 2018. Moreover, there will be a discussion of potential new measures and revisions to Section 230 to increase the risk of liability for offenders and network providers to better protect users who are vulnerable to potential sexual harassment.