Washington, D.C. – We hear Chair McMorris Rodgers and Ranking Member Pallone’s calls for “Big Tech” companies to engage with Congress in a meaningful way to ensure Americans are safe online, but a repeal or removal of Section 230 will have widespread, unintended consequences beyond Big Tech. In particular, there would be increased costs and barriers to entry disproportionately affecting small and mid-sized platforms that make up a vast majority of the diverse internet ecosystem that exists today.
Internet Works and its 19 members, all of whom are small and mid-sized internet platforms, depend on Section 230 to provide users with enjoyable online experiences while competing with the largest tech companies. There’s no “one size fits all” answer to content moderation, and Section 230 has enabled companies of all sizes to succeed and create communities that are unique to their platforms. Section 230 helped provide the foundation for innovative American internet businesses to flourish, and it has cultivated educational opportunities as well as avenues for entrepreneurs to thrive in digital marketplaces. All of which could be threatened by a sunsetting of Section 230.