### Meta Confronts Legal Opposition Regarding User-Centric Facebook Tool: The “Unfollow Everything 2.0” Case
Meta, the parent organization of Facebook, has recently triumphed in a legal dispute—at least for the moment—against a lawsuit attempting to invoke Section 230 protections for a third-party tool aimed at enhancing user control over their Facebook journey. The tool, dubbed “Unfollow Everything 2.0,” allows users the flexibility to toggle their Facebook news feeds on and off at their discretion, potentially granting them greater authority over the material they encounter.
Ethan Zuckerman, a professor from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, initiated the lawsuit, expressing concern that Meta could take legal measures to hinder his tool, as it had previously threatened with a comparable tool produced by another developer. Zuckerman’s legal stance was rooted in a fresh interpretation of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which he argued should safeguard third-party tools that aim to empower users in managing their digital environments.
### The Lawsuit: A Struggle for User Empowerment
In his legal filing, Zuckerman asserted that Congress intended Section 230 to shield developers of tools that permit users to filter or block content they deem objectionable. He specifically referenced Section 230(c)(2)(B), which grants immunity to “a provider of software or enabling tools that filter, screen, allow, or disallow content that the provider or user considers obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable.”
Zuckerman’s legal representatives, with backing from digital rights groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Center for Democracy and Technology, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California, contended that instruments like “Unfollow Everything 2.0” deserve protection under this clause. They argued that such tools enable users to curate their online interactions and steer clear of content they find harmful or undesirable.
Nonetheless, during a hearing on Thursday, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley dismissed the lawsuit, agreeing to Meta’s motion to dismiss the case. Although the court did not address the Section 230 argument, it indicated that future consideration of the matter remains a possibility.
### The Court’s Ruling: A Short-Term Setback
While Zuckerman’s legal team expressed disappointment at the ruling, they acknowledged that the court’s decision does not completely close the case. Judge Corley dismissed the complaint without prejudice, suggesting that Zuckerman may revive the lawsuit or appeal the ruling. The court also noted that Zuckerman would need to actually develop and launch the tool before a legal ruling could be made on the pertinent issues.
One of Zuckerman’s attorneys, Ramya Krishnan, confirmed to *The New York Times* that the court believes the tool needs to be developed and launched prior to any further legal proceedings. This presents a considerable challenge for Zuckerman, given that Meta has previously threatened legal action against analogous tools.
### The Tool: “Unfollow Everything 2.0”
“Unfollow Everything 2.0” is crafted to furnish Facebook users with heightened control over their news feeds by enabling them to conveniently turn the feed on and off. This allows users to evade the inundation of unwanted content, advertisements, or algorithmically produced posts, thus fostering a more individualized and less intrusive Facebook experience.
This tool follows in the footsteps of a preceding project called “Unfollow Everything,” which was created by a different programmer and subsequently halted after Meta issued a legal threat. Zuckerman intends to revive this idea, albeit with the added legal reinforcement of Section 230 protections.
### Meta’s Defense: A “Groundless” Lawsuit?
Meta has consistently claimed that Zuckerman’s lawsuit is “groundless,” primarily because the tool has yet to be launched. According to Meta, there lacks a legal foundation for the lawsuit since no action has been initiated against an unreleased tool. However, Zuckerman’s legal team asserts that the impending threat of legal action from Meta generates a “chilling effect” on developers, dissuading them from creating tools that could enable social media users.
In July, Meta submitted a motion to dismiss the case, alleging that the lawsuit was premature and that Zuckerman’s assertions were speculative. Meta also highlighted that the automated aspect of Zuckerman’s tool could contravene Facebook’s terms of service, a contention Zuckerman refutes.
### The Future: Will the Tool Get Launched?
Regardless of the court’s decision, Zuckerman has indicated his intent to launch “Unfollow Everything 2.0” irrespective of the lawsuit’s outcome. In an interview with *Ars Technica* in May, Zuckerman expressed that he was “suing Facebook to improve it” and that he would proceed with the tool’s release even if he faced defeat in the legal struggle. Should Meta seek to block the tool following its launch, Zuckerman believes the ensuing legal contest would offer a
