AG Barr Joins Attack on Section 230 With Unusual Request to Congress

AG Barr Joins Attack on Section 230 With Unusual Request to Congress

WASHINGTON — In an extremely unusual move by the U.S. Justice Department — part of the executive branch — AG William Barr sent to Congress today a legislative proposal to undermine Section 230, the so-called “First Amendment of the internet.”

Back in May, Donald Trump issued a similarly unusual Executive Order, mandating several department under the executive branch — including Barr’s DOJ — to find ways within their authority to erode Section 230 protections.

According to the U.S. Constitution, altering or repealing Section 230 falls under the powers of the legislative branch.

Today’s request from the DOJ, the Washington Post reports, "came in the form of a rare, legislative proposal that specifically seeks to whittle down Section 230, a decades-old provision of federal law that spares websites from being held liable for content posted by their users — and immunizes some of their own decisions about what posts, photos and videos to leave up or take down.”

William Barr issued a statement making his intentions explicit. “For too long Section 230 has provided a shield for online platforms to operate with impunity,” Barr said. “Ensuring that the internet is a safe, but also vibrant, open and competitive environment is vitally important to America.”

Graham's Latest Anti-230 Bill

This rare instance of executive intrusion into the legislative process arrived only 24 hours before Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) stealthily scheduled discussion of a bill, S. 4632, which he called the Online Content Policy Modernization Act.

Graham's new bill, which explicitly seeks to undermine the First Amendment based on a new notion of "objectionally reasonable belief," includes a change of wording that would seek to make online platforms liable for "material that the provider or user has an objectively reasonable belief is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or promoting self-harm, promoting terrorism, or unlawful, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected.”

The Online Content Policy Modernization Act is yet another attempt by Graham to reform or revoke Section 230 protections. A previous Graham sponsored bill, the EARN IT Act, also aimed at Section 230, is making its way through the Senate, as are a few other proposals that Graham has praised.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Hentaied Founder Romero 'Mr. Alien' on Fetish, Fantasy and Finding Order in Chaos

A sharp sting pierces the woman’s skin. Something foreign slips beneath the surface. Eggs, maybe. She doesn’t know it yet, but soon her body will become a vessel, a hive, a source of contamination.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for July, August

AEBN has published the top search terms for the months of July and August from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Guardian Devotes Feature Article to XBIZ Amsterdam

British newspaper The Guardian sent a reporter to cover XBIZ Amsterdam earlier this month, resulting in a lengthy article about the annual European adult industry conference.

Pineapple Support Taps Char Borley as Brand Ambassador

Pineapple Support has named Char Borley as its newest brand ambassador.

Michigan Legislators Propose Online Porn Ban

Michigan lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make it illegal to distribute pornography via the internet in the state.

Florida AG Sues Aylo, Segpay Over State AV Law

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed lawsuits against Aylo and Segpay on Monday with the 12th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida for noncompliance with HB3, the state's age verification law.

Colombian Court Sides with Performer Esperanza Goméz Over IG Suspensions

Colombia’s Constitutional Court last week ruled in favor of adult performer Esperanza Gómez in her legal battle against Meta over repeated suspensions of her Instagram account.

Missouri AG Announces Age Verification Rule to Take Effect Nov. 30

Newly appointed Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced Friday that the state's recently approved age verification regulation for adult websites will go into effect on Nov. 30.

Aylo, Woodhull Freedom Foundation to Tackle Online Censorship in Virtual Seminar

Aylo and Woodhull Freedom Foundation will co-host a virtual panel addressing online censorship on Sept. 30.

Severe Sex Films Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Severe Sex Films has relaunched its official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Show More