Congress’s latest assault on internet freedom
Another assault on internet freedom and constitutional rights is underway this week as the Senate Judiciary Committee considers the EARN IT Act of 2022. The bill is presented as a potential solution to internet luring by creating a new National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention. The nineteen-member commission is tasked with coming up with best practices that internet companies can adapt to allegedly keep children safe from online predators. Yet tucked in the bill are more changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the law that keeps online platforms from being civilly liable for hosting and moderating third-party content. The first change involves reaffirming that victims of child sexual abuse can civilly sue interactive computer services.
