IAP Statement On Sen. Hagerty’s 21st Century FREE Speech Act

April 28, 2021

WASHINGTON – Mike Davis, founder and president of the Internet Accountability Project (IAP), today released the following statement regarding the 21st Century FREE Speech Act introduced by Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) that puts the American people, rather than Big Tech monopolists, in charge of what they can say or hear on social media, today’s public square.  

“Adopting the legal approach recently analyzed by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the 21st Century FREE Speech Act reclaims Americans’ right to free speech on social media – the modern-day public square. Senator Bill Hagerty’s legislation is a thoughtful, commonsense solution that would actually solve many of our problems with Big Tech, by abolishing Section 230 and replacing it with pro-free-speech protections, treating these monopolies like common carriers, and prohibiting political censorship.

“This is more than just a messaging bill or an empty gesture. Senator Hagerty’s legislation finally abolishes and replaces the antiquated Section 230 immunity, which Big Tech uses both as an anticompetitive shield to unfairly protect itself from accountability and a censorship sword to silence Americans with whom Big Tech disagrees. Big Tech monopolists have proven to serve as biased moderators of free speech, and it is long past time for Americans to have reasonable, non-discriminatory access to the modern-day public square. Just as Americans have access to other common carriers like telephone, transportation, and electric services, American consumers must have fair access to Big Tech services. 

“The Internet Accountability Project applauds Senator Bill Hagerty for his leadership and encourages other Republicans to follow his lead in order to end Big Tech’s unchecked control over American political debate.” 

IAP is a nonprofit conservative advocacy group that holds Big Tech accountable for engaging in egregious business practices like snooping, spying, political bias against conservatives, employee abuses and anticompetitive conduct. Davis previously served as Chief Counsel for Nominations to Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary and led the Senate confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and a record number of circuit court judges. More information on Davis and IAP can be found here.

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