Gosar Introduces Stop the Censorship Act 2020

Contact Your Elected Officials

Washington, July 29, 2020 | Rory Burke (202-225-2315)

Today, U.S. Representatives Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-4), Doug Collins (GA-9), Ralph Norman (SC-5), Lance Gooden (TX-5), Steve King (IA-4), Jim Banks (IN-3), Matt Gaetz (FL-1), Ted Yoho (FL-3), Tom Tiffany (WI-7), Ron Wright (TX-6), and Glenn Grothman (WI-6) introduced H.R. 7808 Stop the Censorship Act of 2020.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (Section 230) affords Big Tech immunity from liability for third-party content. Section 230’s “Good Samaritan” provision provides immunity for the removal of users and content, and has been abused by Big Tech to censor competition and lawful speech. Political candidates, small businesses, medical professionals, pro-life advocates, journalists, authors, artists, comedians, supporters of President Trump, and many more are being censored by Google, Twitter, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and other online platforms.

This legislation revokes immunity for the removal of competition and lawful speech, empowers users to protect themselves from objectionable material, and aligns with focused reforms recently recommended by the Justice Department:

  1. Reform to Promote Open Discourse and Greater Transparency
    Section 230 currently provides online platforms with immunity for the removal of anything they perceive to be “otherwise objectionable.” The vagueness of the term “otherwise objectionable” grants platforms immunity to remove any speech they don’t like, without any potential recourse for the user. Stop the Censorship Act revokes immunity for the removal of “otherwise objectionable” material and instead provides a new standard of immunity for content removal – “unlawful, or that promotes violence or terrorism.” This provision also incentivizes platforms to be more transparent and abide by their own terms of service. Current terms of service are largely irrelevant while immunity is extended for the removal of anything that platforms consider to be “otherwise objectionable”. Click here for more information from the Justice Department.
  2. Reform to Promote Competition
    Section 230 greatly contributed to the size and power of Big Tech. Online platforms have argued that the inclusion of the term “otherwise objectionable” creates immunity from antitrust claims (Enigma Sofware v. Malwarebytes). Stop the Censorship Act ensures that Section 230 does not extend immunity for antitrust claims aimed at promoting and preserving competition. Click here for more information from the Justice Department.

Instead of empowering Big Tech with immunity to remove anything they don’t like, this legislation extends protections to online platforms for “any action taken to provide users with the option to restrict access to any other material,” empowering users to choose content filter options.

โ€œOnline platforms should not have special immunity to censor competition and lawful political speech,โ€ said Rep. Gosar. โ€œThe broad and undue immunity for content and user removal granted by Section 230 must be reined in by Congress. We cannot continue to subsidize, deputize, or blackmail Silicon Valley to decide what is or isn’t an allowable conversation. Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 empowers users and limits Big Tech to the same rights and liabilities as everyone else.โ€

โ€œFreedom of speech and market competition are two of the strongest pillars of American freedom. But โ€˜Big Tech,โ€™ has shown little regard for either. Congress must protect the values that make America great.” said Rep. Banks.

โ€œOur country was founded on the free exchange of ideas and the ability of all Americans to speak freely, a principle that has allowed the Internet to thrive,โ€ said Rep. Collins. โ€œBut in recent years, companies like Twitter and Google have used Section 230 as a shield while unlawfully abusing the First Amendment rights of their users. Itโ€™s time we put an end to Big Techโ€™s unlawful censorship by rolling back their broad protections and promoting market competition, which is exactly what the Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 will do.โ€

โ€œFreedom of speech is paramount to the fabric of America. No one should have the power to censor political speech, including โ€˜Big Techโ€™,โ€ said Rep. Gooden.

Congressman Gosar first introduced the Stop the Censorship Act on July 25, 2019. Todayโ€™s introduction of Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 aligns with recent recommendations for Section 230 reform from the Justice Department and complements President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship.

A reference on how the Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 legislation would amend Section 230

stop_the_censorship_act_of_2020_redline

Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 legislation

gosar_208_xml

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Was Texas Storm Manmade?

Another โ€œ1-in-100 yearsโ€ weather event in Kerr County happened next to a Texas designated โ€œWeather Modification Map of Rain-Enhancement Projects in Texasโ€.

The America Party Will Harm Democrats The Most

Elon Musk formed the America Party after an X poll asking his followers if they wanted โ€œindependence from the two-party system!

Democrats Exhibit the Dunning-Kruger Effect (DKE)

โ€œThe Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability at a task overestimate their competence, while those with high ability underestimate their competence.

250 Countdown

Those 56 intrepid men who signed put their very lives, honor and fortunes on the line. There was no auto-quill to accommodate their signatures.ย 

How the Senate Parliamentarian Changed the OBBB

An unelected bureaucrat does a important job in the U.S. Senate. Elizabeth MacDonough enforces senate rules on Trumpโ€™s โ€œOne Big Beautiful Billโ€.

Trump Administration Ends Deportation Protections for 76,000 From Honduras, Nicaragua

Mondayโ€™s decision is the latest in several temporary protected...

Death Toll From Texas Floods Rises to 82, Including 28 Children; Trump Plans Visit

Days after catastrophic flash floods in central Texas, rescuers are still searching for potential survivors, including 27 girls who went missing from camp.

Trump Signs Major Disaster Declaration Over Texas Flooding

President Trump signed major disaster declaration for Kerr County, TX, following floods leaving dozens dead and FEMA has been activated to respond.

Storm Chantal Makes Landfall in Carolinas, Weakens to Tropical Depression

Chantal weakened into a tropical depression, and tropical storm warnings previously issued for parts of North and South Carolina were discontinued.

National Weather Service Fully Staffed During Deadly Texas Flooding: White House

White House press sec. Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the National Weather Service had a full staff on hand to handle the Central Texas flooding.

US Removes Terrorist Designation for Al Qaeda Affiliate in Syria

The State Department has removed from its list of foreign terrorist organizations Al Qaedaโ€™s affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra.

Trump Announces 25 Percent Tariff on Japan, South Korea

President Donald Trump on July 7 issued letters announcing 25 percent tariffs on Japan and South Korea, set to take effect on Aug. 1, 2025.

White House Asks Americans to Pray After Deadly Texas Flooding

White Houseโ€™s Faith Office said in a statement that it is asking people โ€œto join us in prayer for the precious lives lost in the Texas floods,โ€
spot_img

Related Articles