Justice Department pushes Congress on Section 230

 

The Justice Department has put together a legislative package to reform Section 230.

On Sept. 23, the department sent a letter to Congress on the department’s proposal “to modernize and clarify the immunity that 47 U.S.C. § 230 provides to online platforms that host and moderate content.”

Platforms such as Facebook, Google and Twitter enjoy the protection of Section 230.

“For too long Section 230 has provided a shield for online platforms to operate with impunity,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. 

“Ensuring that the internet is a safe, but also vibrant, open and competitive environment is vitally important to America.  We therefore urge Congress to make these necessary reforms to Section 230 and begin to hold online platforms accountable both when they unlawfully censor speech and when they knowingly facilitate criminal activity online.”

See the letter and the proposal from the Justice Department here.

On Sept. 23 at a discussion with Republican state attorneys general concerning social media, Pres. Trump said he is “watching (tech firms) very closely during this election cycle.”

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