Ninth Circuit Hearing on Roommate.com Case

The ACLU of Northern California has filed a friend-of–the-court brief in support of neither party in Fair Housing Council v. Roommate.com, a case raising important anti-discrimination and internet free speech concerns.

An expanded eleven-member (en banc) panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral argument in the case tomorrow in Pasadena.

The ACLU of Northern California's brief argues that the Court should hold Roommate accountable for its own actions that violate the fair housing laws but that a federal statute, section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, prevents Roommate from being held liable for the discriminatory postings of its users.

For more information about the case and the ACLU of Northern California's other work to defend free speech online, please visit our internet free speech page.