Collins Introduces Legislation to Hold Big Tech Accountable for Unlawful Censorship

Press Release

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) today joined Rep. Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-Ariz.) in introducing the Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 to hold Big Tech accountable by rolling back Section 230 protections.

"Our 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," said Collins. "But 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. It's time we put an end to Big Tech's unlawful censorship by rolling back their broad protections and promoting market competition, which is exactly what the Stop Censorship Act of 2020 will do."

"Online platforms should not have special immunity to censor competition and lawful political speech," said Gosar. "This broad and undue immunity for 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 empowers users and limits Big Tech to the same rights and liabilities as everyone else."​

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (Section 230) provides online platforms with immunity from liability for third-party content. But in recent years, Big Tech has abused Section 230's "Good Samaritan" immunity to censor competition and lawful political speech. Political candidates, small businesses, authors, artists, supporters of President Trump, and the President himself are consistently being censored by Google, Twitter, Facebook, and other online platforms.

The Stop the Censorship Act of 2020 stops the censorship of competition and lawful political speech, extends free speech online, and empowers users to protect themselves from objectionable material. This legislation also aligns with focused reforms recently recommended by the Justice Department and complements President Donald J. Trump's Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship.

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