Trump Threatens To Veto The apos;very Dangerous Section 230 apos;
President Donald Trump is threatening to veto a defense policy bill unless it ends protections for internet companies that shield them from being held liable for material posted by their users.
On Twitter Tuesday night, Trump took aim at Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects companies that can host trillions of messages from being sued into oblivion by anyone who feels wronged by something someone else has posted - whether their complaint is legitimate or not.
'Section 230, which is a liability shielding gift from the U.S.
to 'Big Tech' (the only companies in America that have it - corporate welfare!), is a serious threat to our National Security & Election Integrity, Trump tweeted.
'Our Country can never be safe & secure if we allow it to stand,' the president said.
'Therefore, if the very dangerous & unfair Section 230 is not completely terminated as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), I will be forced to unequivocally VETO the Bill when sent to the very beautiful Resolute desk.
Take back America NOW. Thank you!' he added in a second tweet.
President Donald Trump is threatening to veto a defense policy bill unless it ends protections for internet companies that shield them from being held liable for material posted by their users
On Twitter Tuesday night, Trump took aim at Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects companies that can host trillions of messages from being sued into oblivion by anyone who feels wronged by something someone else has posted
Trump has been waging war against social media companies for months, claiming they are biased against conservative voices.
In October he signed an executive order directing executive branch agencies to ask independent rule-making agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, to study whether they can place new regulations on the companies.
Since losing the presidential election, Trump has flooded social media with unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud.
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Twitter has tagged many such Trump tweets with the advisory: 'This claim about election fraud is disputed.'
Tuesday's veto threat is another potential roadblock for the passage of the annual defense policy measure, which is already being held up in Congress by a spat over military bases named for Confederate officers.
The measure, which has passed for 59 years in a row on a bipartisan basis, guides Pentagon policy and cements decisions about troop levels, tour lệ giang new weapons systems and kynghidongduong.vn military readiness, military personnel policy and other military goals.
Trump has been waging war against the media and social media companies for months, claiming they are biased against conservative voices
Since losing the presidential election, Trump has flooded social media with unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. Twitter has tagged many such Trump tweets with the advisory (depicted above): 'This claim about election fraud is disputed'
Before Tuesday night, Trump had previously called for Section 230 to be terminated 'immediately'
The sweeping NDAA sets policy for the Department of Defense.
It is one of the few major pieces of legislation seen as a 'must-pass' because it governs everything from pay raises for the troops to how many aircraft should be purchased or how best to compete with rivals like Russia and China.
Before Tuesday night, Trump had previously called for Section 230 to be terminated.
'For purposes of National Security, Section 230 must be immediately terminated!!!' the president wrote on Thanksgiving day.
The Internet Association, which includes Facebook, Amazon, Google and Twitter, in return blasted Trump.
'Repealing Section 230 is itself a threat to national security.
The law empowers online platforms to remove harmful and dangerous content, including terrorist content and misinformation,' the group said.
Congressional aides expressed skepticism Trump would actually veto the legislation. Democrats won't agree to repealing 230 because the 24-year-old law provides a vital protection to social media companies.
The aides suggested Trump's threat was part of an effort to force revisions to Section 230 and include them in the defense bill.
This year, the Democrat-led House and Republican-controlled Senate passed versions of the bill.
It is in conference, where lawmakers come up with a compromise final version.
Trump has pulled back from threats to derail legislation in the past. Early last year, Trump agreed under mounting pressure to end a 35-day-old partial US government shutdown without getting the $5.7billion he had demanded from Congress for a border wall, handing a political victory to Democrats.
