NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson announced Wed. the launch of the agency's public consultation process related to its forthcoming report to President Joe Biden on the risks, benefits and regulatory approaches to AI foundation models, as directed in a Biden AI executive order (see 2310300056). Speaking at an event hosted by the Center for Democracy and Technology, Davidson said the report will focus on pragmatic AI policies rooted in technical, economic and legal realities of the technology. The Biden order gave the Commerce Department 270 days to get public input and deliver the AI recommendations. Davidson said.
Section 230
Removing liability protections for generative AI tools would have significant, negative impacts on online free expression, content moderation and innovation, advocates and industry groups wrote Senate leaders Monday. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., announced plans to seek unanimous consent through a hotline process for his No Section 230 Immunity for AI Act (see 2306150059). A coalition of groups, including the Computer & Communications Industry Association, American Civil Liberties Union, Americans for Prosperity, Center for Democracy and Technology, Chamber of Progress, Electronic Frontier Foundation, R Street Institute and TechFreedom, sent the opposition letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Generative AI “is a complex issue that deserves careful thought and nuanced, precise legislation -- not a rigid, heavy-handed overreaction that threatens to undermine free speech, user safety, and American competitiveness in the AI marketplace,” they wrote. “We urge Congress to consider a more thoughtful approach.”
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the company said Monday after it announced subpoenas seeking testimony from Snap, X and Discord about children's online safety. The committee also said it’s in discussions about potential voluntary testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.
Repealing Section 230 isn’t the “right answer” for holding tech platforms accountable, Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told us last week.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduling a hearing on Section 230 and prospects for repealing the tech industry’s liability shield, ranking member Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told us Tuesday.
The Senate needs to bring a package of kids’ online safety legislation to the floor, advocates said Thursday during an event on Capitol Hill. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., called for a vote in late September (see 2309270045). His office declined comment Thursday. Tanya Gould, director of Virginia's Office of the Attorney General Anti-Human Trafficking Office, joined several advocates and former child sex-trafficking victims during Thursday’s event, which was hosted by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. They called for passage of the Strengthening Transparency and Obligation to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment (Stop CSAM) Act (S-1199), the Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act (Earn It Act) (S-3398) and the Kids Online Safety Act (S-1409). Advocates said social media platforms are hiding behind Communications Decency Act Section 230 to avoid taking action against harmful content. Tech companies aren’t designing products with “safety in mind,” said NCOSE CEO Dawn Hawkins.
State legislators floated more than 200 content moderation bills this year, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) said Wednesday. Many of the proposals are “unconstitutional, conflict with federal law including Section 230, and would place major barriers on digital services’ abilities to restrict dangerous content on their platforms,” said the CCIA report. “Many legislators made the measured decision to pause the advancement of this type of legislation until the Supreme Court makes its decision” on Texas and Florida social media laws, it said. “We anticipate this will likely continue to be a main focus for legislators in 2024.”
Google representatives defended their content moderation efforts Thursday amid congressional criticism of YouTube, Meta and X, formerly known as Twitter, for their handling of content about Hamas’ attack on Israel.
The FTC risks violating the First Amendment and Section 230 with its proposed rule for combating deceptive online reviews, Amazon and tech associations told the agency in comments posted Monday (see 2306300029). Consumer groups recommended the agency increase liability for online platforms not doing enough to police fake and deceptive reviews.
The government needs to regulate AI to ensure companies are operating safely and in the “interest of the general public,” Tech billionaire Elon Musk told reporters Wednesday.