These six lawsuits shaped the Internet

Six legal cases helped to shape the Internet into what it is today.

1. Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union (1997): This case protected online freedom of speech.
2. Zeran v. America Online (1998): This case allowed website owners to host third-party content without having to worry about being prosecuted if someone published something illegal on that website.
3. Zippo Manufacturing Co. v. Zippo Dot Com (1997): The web is "worldwide," right? So which courts get to decide if a certain website has violated the law? This case paved the way toward establishing standards in that regard.
4. ProCD v. Zeidenberg (1996): If you clicked to agree, it’s official: You agreed. This case confirms it.
5. Religious Technology Center v. Netcom (1995): This case established that linking to another site didn’t equal stealing content from that site.
6. Perfect 10, Inc. v. Amazon.com: Ever hear of Google Image Search? Of course you have. This case is why it and other similar services are allowed to exist.