Two Congressmen Propose Repeal of Section 230
It is unlikely the bill will advance and be taken seriously
- Michael McGrady Jr
· 3:18 PM1 min read
WASHINGTON—A pair of congressmen announced on Thursday that they have officially proposed the so-called "Sunset Section 230 Act," a bill that would repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. U.S. Reps. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., and Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla., introduced the bill to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The two lawmakers presented the legislation as a means to hold large technology companies accountable by removing the protections of what has affectionately been referred to as the "First Amendment of the internet" by civil society organizations, including the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).
"These companies have been profiting at the expense of young people, who have been harassed and subjected to harmful content,” explained Rep. DeSaulnier in a press statement. In the same press statement, Rep. Patronis added, "Big Tech has become a crooked dealer, pushing digital fentanyl to our kids while profiting from their addiction. Enough is enough."
On the off chance the legislation is adopted by the Republican-held House of Representatives, it would simply cut Section 230 from federal statute and reinstate liabilities for the acts of third-party users onto companies that own and operate user-generated content platforms across the internet in the mainstream and adult entertainment sectors.
The bill is simple, six pages long, and features provisions that amend areas in the telecommunications code and federal statute to remove any mention of Section 230. It is worth noting that another bill with the same name was introduced in late 2025 by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., with the same goal in mind.
In February 2026, the award-winning actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt spoke on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., urging lawmakers in both parties to adopt the Durbin-Graham proposal. Ironically, Gordon-Levitt wrote, directed and acted in the 2013 romantic comedy Don Jon that prominently featured Pornhub when it was still under MindGeek/Manwin ownership.
The Durbin-Graham bill has only been referred to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, with no other action taken. Graham died on July 11.