Bulletins

DOJ unveils Section 230 legislation

The Department of Justice on Wednesday unveiled its promised Section 230 reform legislation. Right now, the proposal is essentially just the DOJ's wish list for reforming the decades-old law, but it sets the tone for the debate in Congress.

The legislation raises the bar for certain takedowns, requiring tech companies to rely on "objectively reasonable belief" that something is "obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy [or] excessively violent" in order to remove it and be shielded from liability.

The proposal would also narrow Section 230's sweeping protections in cases like cyber-stalking, child sex abuse and anti-terrorism.

Emily Birnbaum

Emily Birnbaum ( @birnbaum_e) is a former tech policy reporter with Protocol. Her coverage focuses on the U.S. government's attempts to regulate one of the most powerful industries in the world, with a focus on antitrust, privacy and politics. Previously, she worked as a tech policy reporter with The Hill after spending several months as a breaking news reporter. She is a Bethesda, Maryland native and proud Kenyon College alumna.

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