The fate of COVID-19 relief payments in the latest economic recovery bill may be bound with that of the Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, as Republicans move to couple increased payments with the reform of the bill, The Washington Post’s Tony Romm reported on Tuesday. Section 230 has been the subject of recent controversy from politicians from both sides of the aisle, the Department of Justice, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and even members of the Supreme Court petitioning for or proposing reform. Critics chiefly argue that the law allows major internet companies, and in particular social media platforms, to avoid liability for damaging content created and posted by third-parties.
According to The Washington Post, Senate Republicans would like to see lawsuits filed against companies like Facebook and Twitter challenging how they control content on their platforms. The Republicans, captained by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-Ky.), introduced a new bill tying bigger stimulus payments to a full repeal of Section 230, Makena Kelly of The Verge reported in an article posted Tuesday evening.
McConnell spoke about the stimulus package on the Senate floor on Tuesday, remarking that the legislature will bring three priorities “into focus” this week. McConnell first cited the President’s request for “further direct financial support for American households.”
McConnell then noted “the growing willingness on both sides of the aisle to at least reexamine the special legal protections afforded to technology companies under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, including the ways it benefits some of the most prosperous, most powerful ‘Big Tech’ firms.”
