Earlier this year, my wife and I became victims of a conspiracy theory that went viral on social media and it almost ruined our lives. This went viral, as Chinese state-run media picked up the conspiracy and demanded my wife's medical information. Today, social media companies are protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which says they can't be held responsible for almost everything that's posted on their platforms. Maatje, a mother of two and US Army reservist, has become the target of conspiracy theorists who falsely claim she was coronavirus patient zero. As things stand now, harassers know they can attack their victims with little to no consequences.

Source: CNN October 23, 2020 12:11 UTC