means A 1996 federal law protecting internet companies from being sued for content posted by users, while preserving their right to moderate what they choose.

from Born in the Communications Decency Act of 1996, when Congress realized that holding platforms responsible for every user post would either kill the internet or force them to censor everything. The architects wanted to encourage a wild, open web while keeping some guardrails. It became the invisible load-bearing wall of the entire internet.