What is Section 230 and why does Donald Trump want it repealed?
DONALD Trump has threatened to veto the National Defense Authorization Act unless Congress repeals Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.
Critics believe it unfairly shields large social media firms from liability over items posted on their platforms.
What is Section 230?
The 25 year old law essentially protects companies such as Facebook and Twitter from being sued over content posted on their sites.
The Department of Justice wrote to Congress in October advocating that changes be made to the Act.
It read, in part: “Today’s large online platforms hold tremendous power over the information and views available to the American people.
“It is therefore critical that they be honest and transparent with users about how they use that power.”
The heads of Facebook and Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey respectively, also faced the Senate Commerce Committee in the same month.
Dorsey said in his testimony at the time: “Section 230 is the most important law protecting internet speech. In removing Section 230, we will remove speech from the internet.”
Zuckerberg suggested that Congress “updates the law to make sure it is working as intended”.
He said: “One important place to start would be making content moderation systems more transparent.
“Another would be to separate good actors from bad actors by making sure that companies can’t hide behind section 230 to avoid responsibility for intentionally facilitating illegal activity on their platforms.
“We are open to working with Congress on these ideas and more.”
Why does Donald Trump want it repealed?
Donald Trump has had a rocky relationship with these companies during his presidency despite his prolific use of Twitter to get his message to his 88million followers.
Late on Tuesday, December 1, the president wrote on the platform: “Section 230, which is a liability shielding gift from the U.S. to ‘Big Tech’ (the only companies in America that have it—corporate welfare!), is a serious threat to our National Security & Election Integrity. Our Country can never be safe & secure if we allow it to stand.
“Therefore, if the very dangerous & unfair Section 230 is not completely terminated as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), I will be forced to unequivocally VETO the Bill when sent to the very beautiful Resolute desk. Take back America NOW. Thank you!”
Critics, which include Republican Senators Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Josh Hawley, say those companies should no longer be shielded as a neutral platform because they operate more like a publisher.
In October he signed an executive order directing executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies.
Since losing the presidential election, Trump has flooded social media with unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
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Twitter has tagged many such Trump tweets with the advisory, This claim about election fraud is disputed.
Tuesday’s veto threat is another potential roadblock for the passage of the annual defense policy measure, which is already being held up in Congress by a spat over military bases named for Confederate officers.
The measure, which has passed for 59 years in a row on a bipartisan basis, guides Pentagon policy and cements decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military readiness, military personnel policy and other military goals.