WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice released its proposed legislative text to reform Section 230, a provision of the Communications Decency Act which currently gives online platforms immunity from civil liability.

In response, Jon Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs at American Principles Project and co-author of “Protecting Free Speech and Defending Kids: A Proposal to Amend Section 230,” released the following statement in support:

President Trump’s Department of Justice takes seriously the threat posed to our liberty by monopolistic corporations hellbent on censoring speech and interfering in our free and fair elections. For that alone, they deserve accolades.

But with this proposed Section 230 reform, DOJ is also aggressively combating the threat posed to our children online by sexual predators, exploitative businesses, and other criminal actors. This proposal strips legal protections away from ‘Bad Samaritans’ and provides families who have been wronged the right to have their day in court.

APP applauds this effort by the administration and looks forward to working with Congress to pass substantive Section 230 reform that will protect free speech and defend kids.

Facebook, which benefits from Section 230 immunity as an online platform, came under fire last week for removing an American Principles Project PAC digital ad attacking Joe Biden and Democrats for supporting policies that would threaten women’s sports. You can read more about that story at The Federalist here.

To schedule an interview with an APP policy expert, contact Paul Dupont at (o) 202-503-2010 or pdupont@americanprinciplesproject.org.