“These are not, like, the nine greatest experts on the internet,” noted Justice Elena Kagan – a reference to herself and fellow colleagues on the Supreme Court.
Depsite this, the justices are being asked to negotiate complex arguments that could have wide implications for online providers and ultimately everyone who uses the internet. Their rulings in two cases argued before the court on Feb. 21 and Feb. 22, 2023, could force social media companies to change the way they do business. So, will the Supreme Court “break the internet,” as some have suggested? The Conversation asked Michael W. Carroll, a cyberlaw expert at American University, to explain what is at stake – and how the justices appear to be thinking about the cases.
