Senate Judiciary Committee Unanimously Approves EARN IT Act

Press Release

"I was very pleased the EARN IT Act, which I introduced along with Senator Blumenthal, unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee.

It's sad but true that under current law, consumers cannot bring lawsuits against social media companies for harm caused to them or to their loved ones. The EARN IT Act changes that. It would allow states and survivors of online child sexual exploitation to finally hold social media companies accountable if they look the other way on the distribution of child sexual abuse material.

The tech industry needs to be held accountable. The EARN IT Act is a step in the right direction.

However, the political and economic power of social media companies is overwhelming. I have little hope that common-sense proposals like this will ever become law because of the lobbying power these companies have at their disposal.

My next approach is going to be to sunset Section 230 liability protection for social media companies. Section 230 bars Americans from seeking relief in courts against the abuse in their lives caused by social media companies. If we cannot pass a law or series of laws to protect the American consumer, then it's time to open up the American courtrooms as a way to protect consumers against abuse from the social media companies."

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