Lawmakers on the other side are considering repealing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act on the grounds that it has “outdone its usefulness.” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr. have introduced a bipartisan bill that would repeal the provision after December 31, 2025.wrote for wall street journal, they acknowledged that Section 230 “helped take the Internet from the days of 'I have email' to today's global nexus of communications and commerce.” But big tech companies are now abusing the same law to “shirk any responsibility or accountability for their platforms causing untold harm to Americans, especially children.” they stated.
They added that lawmakers who previously tried to address Section 230 issues were unsuccessful because tech companies refused to meaningfully cooperate. The bill would require technology companies to work with government officials for 18 months to develop and enact a new legal framework to replace the current Section 230. The new law still allows for free speech and innovation, but it also encourages business. “Be good stewards of their platforms.” Rogers and Pallone said their bill would allow companies to ensure the internet is “forever a safe and sane place,” or require them to comply with Section 230. He said people will now have the option of losing protection completely.
Section 230 protects online publishers from liability for content posted by users. Companies like Meta and Google have repeatedly used this technique to get lawsuits dismissed, but it has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. Last year, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill to amend a provision that would require major platforms to remove content within four days if deemed illegal by a court. Another bipartisan group called for the Section 230 Immunity for AI Act, which calls for companies like OpenAI to be held accountable for harmful content such as deepfake images and audio created to damage someone's reputation. “None” is also suggested.
