Statement On The Introduction Of The See Something, Say Something Online Act

Washington, DC – IA Deputy General Counsel Elizabeth Banker released the following statement on the introduction of the See Something, Say Something Online Act by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and John Cornyn (R-TX):

“IA member companies share the Senators’ goal of preventing illegal and harmful activity online, which is exactly what Section 230 empowers platforms to do today. IA member companies remove millions of pieces of potentially illegal or harmful content every year, thanks to, not in spite of, Section 230’s protections for moderation.

“The information that this bill would require IA members to collect, retain, and turn over to law enforcement has serious implications for the privacy and security of all Americans. The bill would put online services into the impossible position of determining what is or isn’t evidence of a crime, with crippling liability for failing to make the correct determination. This could result in an enormous amount of user information being shared with the government, with little constraint on its use.”