Biden calls for ending online platforms' liability shield

"It should be revoked because [Facebook] is not merely an internet company. It is propagating falsehoods they know to be false, and we should be setting standards not unlike the Europeans are doing relative to privacy. You guys still have editors. I'm sitting with them. Not a joke. There is no editorial impact at all on Facebook. None. None whatsoever. It's irresponsible. It's totally irresponsible."

Between the lines: Facebook, like other social media companies, sees itself not as a publisher with editorial obligations but as a platform that enforces standards of conduct among users who are free to communicate with one another both publicly and privately. Critics contend that Facebook's algorithms and human moderators are making digital-era editorial judgments when they decide what content is allowed on the site.

The bottom line: Biden isn't the only Democrat gunning for Section 230. Facebook's decision not to police fact in political speech and ads has made it some powerful enemies, and if the White House changes hands next year, it and other tech platforms could face a major fight.

Go deeper: Tech's liability shield becomes trade-deal flashpoint