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Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act provides
immunity to companies such as Facebook, Alphabet's Google and
Twitter for content posted by users, although companies can
still be held liable for content that violates criminal or
intellectual property law.
"I'm really worried about this... this idea that whatever
content is paid for and posted, they have no responsibility
for," said Representative Jan Schakowsky, who chairs the House
Energy and Commerce subcommittee on consumer protection and
commerce.
Her bill would not envisage a "massive change" in the
legislation, "but just a couple of specifics when it comes to
what kind of limits we want to set on election stuff," she told
reporters at the sidelines of a technology conference.
Some lawmakers and experts want the companies to bear more
responsibility for policing their services, which could steeply
increase costs for the internet companies.
Advocates of the law have argued it encourages free expression
and has helped the rapid growth of internet companies over the
past 20 years.
The U.S. Justice Department plans to hold a meeting to discuss
the same federal law in early February.
(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; editing by Richard
Pullin)
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