For example, T-Mobile is a platform. They aren't responsible for anything you say when on the phone, using their network.
CNN is a publisher. They are responsible for anything that gets posted on their website, and can get sued accordingly.
Social media companies want to choose what is posted on their website, but also not be held responsible for anything that is posted on their website. They want the perks of being a publisher, and the perks of being a platform.
Obviously there are arguments made on both sides. But that is the general disagreement, if I understand correctly.
> For example, T-Mobile is a platform. They aren't responsible for anything you say when on the phone, using their network.
> CNN is a publisher. They are responsible for anything that gets posted on their website, and can get sued accordingly.
Also T-Mobile is a point-to-point communications platform, while CNN is a broadcaster.
Social media seems like a new thing that doesn't have directly analogous antecedents. It's a high-impact, wide-reach broadcaster that has little to no editorial control. Before it, broadcasters lacking editorial control were marginal and low-reach.