Louisiana lawmaker leads effort to pull protections from tech companies that target users’ emotions
The bill denies Section 230 protections to sites that use divisive issues for engagement
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Louisiana Republican John Kennedy introduced a bill on Tuesday designed to prevent technology companies from collecting data on what issues agitate users and then using that information to get them to spend more time on their platform.
Called the "Don’t Push My Buttons Act," the legislation would deny protections provided under Section 230 of the Communications Act to companies that use algorithms to drive engagement by harping on issues that correspond to the habits, preferences or beliefs of users.
"It’s time to stop rewarding platforms that use their algorithms to target users with content that plays on individuals’ emotions without their consent. If these companies wield user data to foment division, they should not continue to enjoy such unfettered liability protections," Kennedy said in a statement.
FLORIDA GOV. DESANTIS’ BIG TECH LAW STRUCK DOWN BY JUDGE
Section 230 of the Communications Act protects companies from being held responsible for content that is posted by users or user-generated content on the platform. The law also allows these companies to take down content posted by users.
The law has been called into question in recent years, including by Donald Trump, who believed it offered too much protection to companies. The former president called for the repeal of Section 230.
Critics on the other side of the debate say that the law does not go far enough in preventing harmful content from being posted on the internet.
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Regulating the technology sector is an issue lawmakers at both the federal and state levels are looking to tackle.
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As previously reported by FOX Business, lawmakers in Ohio announced a new set of data privacy measures to protect residents.
Other states, like Florida, have introduced sweeping measures targeting the country’s largest companies for their content moderation policies – and a lack of transparency over what guides those decisions. Legislation introduced by Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is currently locked in the court system after it was struck down by a federal judge late last month.