A bipartisan group of senators, including Sens. Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, just introduced legislation intended to combat child exploitation online. Unfortunately, their bill not only undermines the entire point of Section 230, the law many credit for creating the internet as we know it, it also undermines its own stated goals.
The Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act, or the EARN IT Act, creates a commission tasked with developing recommended best practices for online services “to prevent, reduce, and respond to the online exploitation of children.” The recommended best practices are made official after approval by several agency heads, including the attorney general, and following a period of congressional review.
