Sponsor
James P. McGovern
Representative · D-MA
Representative · D-MA
Official title: To foster accountability for digital content providers.
Introduced September 4, 2026 by James P. McGovern · Last progress September 4, 2026
The bill strengthens privacy and gives federal and private actors powerful tools to fight targeted misinformation and violent online content, but it does so by expanding enforcement powers, liability, and vague definitions that risk chilling speech, increasing litigation, and raising costs for platforms and users.
Consumers (including low-income individuals, students, and general internet users) gain stronger privacy protections because platforms are barred from using personal or de‑identified data to target ads to individuals or specific groups.
The Attorney General and federal authorities are empowered to act against large-scale misinformation and dangerous online content (including injunctions and civil penalties), enabling coordinated federal response to cross-border or multi-state campaigns.
Voters, students, and the general public could face reduced exposure to targeted civic misinformation and content that encourages violence, lowering risks of missed votes, public‑health harms, and real-world violence.
Journalists, publishers, speakers, immigrants, and ordinary users face heightened free‑speech risk because the bill creates criminal penalties and large civil fines for certain disputed civic content, which could chill legitimate reporting and public debate.
Platforms, publishers, and small advertisers face significant litigation and compliance costs (statutory damages, $50,000 civil penalties, expanded liability and narrower §230 protections) that are likely to be passed on to users or reduce free ad-supported services.
To avoid liability, platforms may over-remove or algorithmically suppress lawful but controversial civic content, reducing public access to information and debate (disproportionately affecting citizens, students, and researchers).
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Creates new crimes and civil penalties for certain online misinformation and violent-incitement, narrows Section 230 immunity, and bans targeted advertising using personal data by covered platforms.
Creates new federal crimes and civil penalties for knowingly spreading certain kinds of online misinformation and for online communications that solicit or encourage kidnapping, homicide, serious bodily injury, or other felony violent conduct. It narrows Section 230 immunity for online platforms, bans targeted advertising using personal data by covered platforms, and gives the Attorney General and private parties new tools to seek civil penalties, injunctive relief, and damages. The law defines key terms (including fraudulent civic misinformation, individualized targeting, personal information, and publishing entity), sets criminal fines and prison terms, authorizes civil enforcement with statutory penalties and damages, and adds a private right of action and enforcement provisions for prohibited targeted advertising; the targeted-ad rules take effect 90 days after enactment.