Stop the Censorship Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-7808
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-4]
Introduced: 2020-07-29
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Civil actions and liability

Freedom of information

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2020-07-29
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-07-29
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Stop the Censorship Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill modifies a social media company's immunity from liability for screening and blocking offensive content on its platform. </p> <p>Under current law, the immunity applies for action taken to restrict content that is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable. The bill eliminates immunity for restricting content that is otherwise objectionable and applies such immunity when a company restricts content that is unlawful or that promotes violence or terrorism. </p> <p>Under current law, such immunity also applies to actions taken to enable or make available the technical means to restrict access to such content. The bill applies this immunity to actions taken that provide users with the option to restrict access to any material, regardless of whether such material is constitutionally protected.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7808 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 29, 2020 Mr. Gosar (for himself, Mr. Collins of Georgia , Mr. Norman , Mr. Gooden , Mr. King of Iowa , Mr. Banks , Mr. Gaetz , Mr. Yoho , Mr. Tiffany , Mr. Wright , Mr. Grothman , and Mr. Crawford ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 (commonly referred to as the Communications Decency Act) to stop censorship, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 . 2. Revocation of immunities Section 230(c) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 230(c) ) is amended— (1) in the heading, by striking and Screening of Offensive Material and inserting of unlawful or objectionable material ; and (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) in subparagraph (A)— (i) by striking or otherwise objectionable and inserting , unlawful, or that promotes violence or terrorism ; and (ii) by striking ; or and inserting a semicolon; (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking paragraph (1). and inserting subparagraph (A); or ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) any action taken to provide users with the option to restrict access to any other material, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected. .