Health
Klobuchar works on ‘long-term solution’ against COVID misinformation
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MIN.) targets Section 230, the law protecting online platforms against user content, to fight bogus health information especially on vaccination.
- Klobuchar’s legislation “will hold online platforms accountable.”
- Passing the senator’s bill might be a tough process as some Republican lawmakers are opposing vaccination efforts.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MIN.) might have the answer to stop the hasty online dispersal of false medical information amid the coronavirus pandemic — through Section 230.
Klobuchar said on Thursday that she’s creating an exception to Section 230, the 1996 law protecting internet platforms’ liability for content that users post. The move was in reference to the rampant health misinformation, especially regarding COVID vaccines, thriving in the midst of health emergencies.
“We need a long-term solution” that goes beyond removing accounts spreading falsehoods about the crisis, Klobuchar said. “This legislation will hold online platforms accountable.”
Co-sponsored by Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Klobuchar’s Health Misinformation Act of 2021 aims to task tech platforms to be gatekeepers halting the propagation of misleading health content, which would be determined by the secretary of Health and Human Services with the help of experts and leaders of federal agencies.
Like Klobuchar, many congressional Democrats argue that social media platforms disregard fake information and other dangerous content given the protective provisions of Section 230.
In fact, amending Section 230 has been a concern for lawmakers. For one, President Joe Biden’s administration has been trying to oppose vaccination misinformation, especially that it causes uncertainty in taking the shots among the public.
With the Delta variant widely spreading across the country while inoculation rates are dropping, eradicating the virus becomes much more problematic. And if political polarization around inoculations will continue — with some Republican lawmakers and conservative activists disagreeing with the vaccination scheme — it might be more challenging to pass Klobuchar’s bill.
Source: POLITICO.com
David
July 24, 2021 at 9:09 am
Why isn’t anyone in the media expressing the view that one of the main reasons we have this new outbreak lies at the feet of the illegals that Biden has let in?
Leslie Benjamini
July 25, 2021 at 3:49 am
You are absolutely correct. Actually the smart thing is to close the border, but since Biden refuses to do that then all should be tested. All who test positive should be quarantined until healthy. Those people don’t need a vaccine, they are then immune from having the virus. Actually since they are all coming from all over the world maybe insist that they be vaccinated, although I read 30% of illegal immigrants are refusing the vaccines. But we are not testing & quarantining the positives, this is the most important. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE SPREAD. Instead Biden is flying & busing them all over the United States. Mainly to red states like Florida, Texas, North Dakota to punish those Governor’s.
jack
July 24, 2021 at 9:28 am
the fault for ANY increase in “infection” rates lies directly with the lunatic presently sitting in the “stolen” white house,by allowing ILLEGALS into the country without ANY testing.. The current covid (flu virus) is NOT the only disease these criminals bring with them..!
Leslie Benjamini
July 25, 2021 at 3:51 am
Agree 100%.
Lafe Draper
July 24, 2021 at 12:41 pm
Unvaccinated citizens feel ALL or most of the information passed by The CDC, NIH, Big Tech, and the Commie News Network (CNN) and the rest of MSM is in FACT MISINFORMATION! They continue to censor American Frontline Doctors who know the TRUTH and want to inform the rest of the country and the world! It’s ALL about the money for BIG PHARMA!????????????
Leslie Benjamini
July 25, 2021 at 3:52 am
Agree 100%.
GomeznSA
July 24, 2021 at 1:18 pm
With her track record if she told me that the sky was blue I would first want to know what her definition of blue is and then I would still go out at least twice to be sure it really was blue.