In summer 2020, the Department of Justice actively worked to undermine Section 230, which protects online users' speech, by collaborating with lawmakers on restrictive bills like the EARN IT Act. Newly released documents from a FOIA lawsuit show these efforts included discussions about conditioning Section 230's protections on age-verification for hosting sexual content. Despite President Trump's executive order targeting social media, DOJ officials seemed unprepared for the order's implications. The release highlights a consistent effort by DOJ to rewrite or weaken Section 230 protections over the years, emphasizing their critical role in maintaining online communication.
The Department of Justice under the first Trump administration engaged in efforts to undermine Section 230, meeting with lawmakers on bills that would restrict online speech.
Documents reveal that DOJ officials collaborated with Senate staff to support the EARN IT Act and PACT Act, attempting to stifle users' online speech and privacy.
Section 230 is crucial for protecting users' online speech by shielding intermediaries from liability for the actions and statements of their users.
The DOJ appeared caught off guard by President Trump's executive order targeting social media, which later led to ongoing litigation and FOIA requests for transparency.
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