Following reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had requested the removal of broad immunities for online platforms from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the Speaker noted on December 10 that the protections would not be removed from the agreement as the request had been made too late. Article 19.17 of the USMCA codifies language similar to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act for the first time in an international agreement, while Congress is currently considering multiple issues that may require amending Section 230 domestically. Section 230 provides online platforms with broad immunities for third-party content posted on their platforms. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns over the inclusion of the provision in the USMCA and other trade agreements. The Alliance had raised concerns with the Administration and Congress about the broad immunity since it is under review here in the United States, creating questions whether now is the time to begin exporting and cementing the immunity internationally. Read more here.
Members of the News/Media Alliance staff have contributed to this post.
