Urge Congress to Remove CDA 230 Immunity!

Urge Congress to Remove Section 230 Immunity to Stop Online Sexual Exploitation!

When the Internet was created, it was surrounded by optimism for the future of communication. Yet it quickly became a hotbed for dangerous and obscene content – prompting action through the courts and legislative bodies.

The Communications Decency Act (CDA) was passed by Congress in 1996 with intentions to combat content harmful to minors on interactive technology platforms, while also protecting budding internet companies from what was posted by third-party users. While most of the CDA was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, the CDA’s section 230 was allowed to remain. This section provided a shield to tech companies so that they would not be considered liable for what third-party users might upload to their platforms. In the years since, this remaining section of CDA, only 26 words long, has given technology platforms near complete immunity from the rampant sexual abuses they facilitate and even profit from.

Reform of CDA Section 230 is necessary for a safer internet community, and would reflect the modern challenges that plague the Internet and its users. Ask Congress to fix the law to be what they always intended with the creation of CDA – a bill to protect kids online!

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Note: This action is for US residents only (excluding DC residents) as it is directed at US legislators. However, international users and DC residents are encouraged to share the Dirty Dozen List on social media or learn more at dirtydozenlist.com.

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Subject: Repeal Section 230 to Stop Online Sexual Exploitation

Dear Rep. [First Name, Last Name],

I am writing to bring the critical issue of online sexual exploitation to your attention, which is facilitated by the courts' interpretations of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

Recent legal cases, including a notable lawsuit against Twitter for refusing to remove child sexual abuse material, highlight the urgent need for this dangerous law to be repealed. These cases demonstrate how tech companies have been able to evade accountability for sexual abuse and exploitation on their platforms, leading to devastating consequences for victims and their families.

The courts' interpretations of Section 230 have created a legal loophole that allows tech companies to facilitate and profit from sexual exploitation without fear of repercussions. This has created an environment where online sexual exploitation can thrive like never before. For example, data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children shows a 300% increase in online enticement (i.e. predators communicating with children online, with the intention of committing a sexual offense or abduction), and this number continues to grow. Research from Thorn, a leading child protection organization, found that 1 in 4 children have experienced an online sexual interaction with someone they believed to be an adult.

These statistics illustrate the urgent need to incentivize tech companies to take sexual exploitation seriously, and become part of the solution rather than contributors to the problem. The only way to incentivize them is by removing their legal immunity.

Congress must act NOW to repeal Section 230. The safety of countless children and adults depends on your leadership and commitment to ending exploitation online.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]