Sponsors (11)
The bill makes it easier for platforms to remove unlawful material and reduces some litigation risk for smaller services, but by limiting safe-harbor protections to illegal content it raises the risk of chilled speech, higher compliance costs for small providers, and weaker moderation of harmful-but-lawful content.
Online platforms (providers and moderators) can more clearly remove unlawful content without risking loss of liability protection, simplifying moderation decisions and reducing user exposure to illegal material.
Smaller online services face reduced risk of frivolous litigation because the narrower statutory language clarifies moderators' legal safe harbor for removing unlawful content, lowering legal costs and helping keep smaller platforms operational.
Parents and families retain protections for user-facing tools (filters and parental controls), helping households manage minors' exposure to content while preserving platform features that restrict access to objectionable material.
Users (and creators of controversial but constitutionally protected speech) may face increased removals or legal risk because narrowing protections to only 'unlawful' material can leave platforms exposed for moderating lawful but objectionable content, chilling expression and complicating moderation choices.
Smaller online services may encounter higher legal uncertainty and compliance costs if broader content-moderation protections are narrowed, potentially raising prices, reducing services, or deterring new entrants.
People who rely on platforms to remove harmful but non-unlawful content (such as hate speech) — including children and marginalized communities — may face increased exposure if platforms scale back moderation for fear of liability.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Narrows platforms' Section 230 protection for removing content to cover only "unlawful material," while preserving protection for user-facing options to restrict other material.
Amends the liability shield for online platforms by narrowing when platforms are protected for removing or restricting access to content: only actions to restrict "unlawful material" remain clearly covered. The bill also states platforms remain protected when they provide users with options to restrict access to other material, including material that might be constitutionally protected.
Introduced February 4, 2025 by Paul Gosar · Last progress February 4, 2025