ACLU, FSC Raise Objections to Senate's New Section 230-Busting Bill

ACLU, FSC Raise Objections to Senate's New Section 230-Busting Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — An ACLU-led coalition of civil rights groups and groups representing LGBTQ+ individuals, sex workers, journalists and libraries issued an open letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday, warning against the Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment (STOP CSAM) Act.

The groups, which include Free Speech Coalition (FSC) wrote to Schumer to make public their opposition to S. 1199, comparing it to the equally controversial Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act (EARN IT) Act.

The STOP CSAM Act, the groups explain, “would lead apps and websites to surveil every single word, image, and video its users post, censor First Amendment protected speech, and stop offering services that are critical for enabling secure, private conversations.”

The letter also warns that the legislation will lead to “censorship of First Amendment protected speech, including speech about reproductive health, sexual orientation and gender identity, and personal experiences related to gender, sex, and sexuality.”

Noting that platforms already “regularly remove content that has vague ties to sex or sexuality, for fear of liability,” the coalition’s letter cautions that passage of S. 1199 would incentivize apps and websites “to exercise a heavier hand at content moderation.”

The groups specifically question language in the STOP CSAM Act, crafted to sidestep Section 230 protection and encourage civil lawsuits against platforms for “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly” hosting CSAM or facilitating a violation of CSAM laws.

“This means a court can find an app or website liable for hosting CSAM even if the app or website did not know it was hosting CSAM,” the letter notes. “In order to avoid such liability, apps and websites are likely to scan all of the content on their platforms and remove any content that a state court could find, even wrongfully, is CSAM.”

To read the civil liberties coalition’s letter to Sen. Schumer, visit ACLU.org.

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

JuicyAds Launches Summer Advertiser/Publisher Promo

JuicyAds has launched a summer promotion for advertisers and publishers.

FSC to Honor Board Chair Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Leadership

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) will honor board chair Jeffrey Douglas for his 30 years of service to the industry at an event on June 27.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for April, May

AEBN has released the list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters by country in April and May.

French Court Suspends Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

The Paris Administrative Court has suspended enforcement of age verification regulations for sites based in other European Union member nations, pending a final judgment on whether France’s AV rules align with EU standards.

UK Parliament Weighs Proposals Targeting Adult Content

The U.K. Parliament this week debated proposed amendments to the pending Crime and Policing Bill, including clauses criminalizing “choking” content — and potentially outlawing paying for sex acts in cam performances and custom clips.

Rights Groups File Amicus Brief Supporting Backpage Defendants

Woodhull Freedom Foundation has joined Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Reason Foundation, and Electronic Frontier Foundation in filing an amicus brief in support of an appeal by the former operators of Backpage.com.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Ban on Choking in Online Adult Content

British lawmaker Jessica Asato stated in an interview aired on Sunday that she plans to ask Parliament to outlaw online adult content featuring the act of choking.

Feet4Cash Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Feet4Cash has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Report: VPN Usage Surges in France After Aylo Restricts Access to Pornhub

France has experienced a surge in virtual private network (VPN) signups after Aylo, which operates Pornhub, Redtube and YouPorn, cut off access to those sites in the country in the wake of new age verification regulations, business news site MENAFN is reporting.

New Creator Directory 'TrustyFans' Launches

TrustyFans, a newly launched directory designed to help fans discover their favorite creators, is now live.

Show More