Online liability protections have outlived their usefulness, top lawmakers say

Two lawmakers are opposing online liability protections for big tech companies, saying the law has “outlived its usefulness.”

Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Frank Pallone Jr. (DN.J.) co-authored an op-ed in Wall Street Journal on Sunday to protest Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. The pair of lawmakers argued in favor of scrapping Section 230, which largely protects social media companies from being sued for content people post on their sites. .

“Unfortunately, Section 230 is now poisoning the healthy online ecosystem it once fostered. Big tech companies are exploiting the law to protect them from any responsibility or liability as their platforms inflict immense harm on Americans, especially children. Congress’s failure to review this law is irresponsible and unsustainable,” the lawmakers wrote.

Section 230 has been under scrutiny from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced legislation last year that would limit tech companies’ legal immunity under Section 230. However, that legislation has yet to advance past Senator Ron Wyden (D-Mo.)-Ore.) blocked it earlier this year.

Rodgers and Pallone argued that repealing big tech companies’ protections would make them liable for material posted on their platforms.

“These blanket protections have resulted in technology companies operating without transparency or accountability about how they manage their platforms. This means that a social media company, for example, cannot easily be held liable if it promotes, amplifies or makes money from posts that sell drugs, illegal weapons or other illicit content,” they wrote.

Lawmakers said they were revealing legislation to end Section 230. It would require big technology companies to work with Congress for 18 months to “evaluate and enact a new legal framework that will enable free speech and innovation while encouraging these companies to be good administrators of their platforms.”

“Our bill gives Big Tech a choice: Work with Congress to ensure the Internet is a safe and healthy place forever, or lose Section 230 protections entirely,” the lawmakers wrote.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story