House Panel Supports Revising Law That Protects Social Media Companies

Members on both sides of a key House panel expressed support on May 21 for a bill to begin revising a law that protects social media companies from being held legally accountable for the content they host. The as-yet unnumbered House proposal—”To Provide a Sunset for Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act”—was recently introduced by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and co-sponsored by ranking Democratic member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). The proposal would sunset, or nullify, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, a provision of current law that shields social media companies such as Facebook and TikTok from being held liable for content they host on the internet that promotes bullying, illegal drug sales, sex trafficking of minors, and child abuse....