Bill would remove protections against health misinformation from social media

WASHINGTON — Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced a bill on Thursday that would remove online platforms such as Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. from liability protections if their technology spread misinformation about coronavirus vaccines or other health emergencies public.

The bill, which Ms Klobuchar (D., Minn.) Previously wired was in the works, would create an exception to the law known as Section 230 that protects internet platforms from legal action for content generated by their users and other third parties.

At a congressional hearing last year, Big Tech executives expressed cautious support for amending Section 230, a provision of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 that generally protects Internet platforms from any harm. responsibility for the content posted by users on their sites.

The bill’s introduction follows a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which found that a significant amount of false vaccine news came from 12 social media users.

The vast majority of patients resulting in hospitalizations for Covid-19 in parts of the United States are not vaccinated, according to hospitals. President Biden said last week that Facebook and other companies were killing people by serving as platforms for disinformation about Covid-19 vaccines. He then clarified his comments by saying he was not accusing Facebook of killing people, but rather wanted the company to “do something about misinformation, outrageous vaccine news.”