Tech Community Opposed to Any Change to Section 230, Says Aide to Sen. Lee

The tech community will oppose any revision of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, regardless of the revision, said a senior aide to Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who's one of more than two dozen co-sponsors of the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (see 1708110022). Lawmakers say S-1693 would narrowly amend CDA to curb online sex trafficking and wouldn't affect legitimate actors. Technology and civil society organizations say it will restrict internet free speech (see 1708010011). Lee's aide said industry incorrectly thinks the bill would "open the door" for more changes: "Based on that reasoning, Congress wouldn’t have inserted the existing exceptions to Section 230 immunity, concerning obscenity and sexual exploitation of children, and those haven’t broken the Internet.”