WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.),and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) in introducing the Digital Integrity in Democracy Act,legislation to increase accountability of social media platforms that knowingly host false election administration information. The bill aims to strengthen voting rights protections by carving out a narrow exception to Section 230 immunity for social media platforms that intentionally mislead voters and amplify election-related misinformation.
“Across the country, voting rights are under attack. We see that very clearly on social media, where carefully orchestrated campaigns target voters with false information in an effort to keep them from the ballot box. But social media platforms have been reluctant to intervene and remove this false information, letting these harmful lies live online. They need a reality check,” said Senator Welch. “Our bill seeks to hold social media platforms accountable for intentionally hosting false election administration information to ensure every voter can fairly participate in our democracy.”
“Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. While election disinformation is not new, emerging technologies make it easier to deceive Americans about how to exercise their right to vote,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This legislation will combat efforts intended to disenfranchise voters by holding social media companies accountable for allowing false information on their platforms about voting like when and where to cast a ballot.”
“We must crack down on the spread of false information about our elections,” said Senator Merkley. “Preserving a government ‘of, by, and for the people’ depends on protecting voters from the quick, easy spread of misinformation on social media that can jeopardize their right to vote.”
“Falsehoods posted on social media about the time, place and manner of an election, and lies about voter eligibility requirements, are spread with the intent to suppress voter turnout,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to cosponsor the Digital Integrity in Democracy Act, legislation that would hold large-scale social media companies accountable for removing these types of election falsities. This is a reasonable, balanced approach to protecting voters and our democracy, while also protecting free speech online.”
“Disinformation about elections on social media platforms is a threat to our democracy and to right of all Americans to make their voices heard in our elections,” said Senator Hirono. “I’m glad to join Senator Welch and our colleagues in introducing this legislation to hold social media companies accountable for election disinformation shared on their platforms.”
The Digital Integrity in Democracy Act is endorsed by Common Cause and Stand Up America.
“All voters deserve access to trusted information about our elections. However, when social media companies knowingly allow and amplify false election information on their platforms, voters are left in the dark,” said Ishan Mehta, Common Cause’s Media and Democracy Program Director. “Common Cause thanks Senator Welch for introducing the Digital Integrity in Democracy Act to ensure that voters can get trusted information about elections when making their voices heard, and we encourage Congress to quickly pass this legislation.”
“Social media is a public square where we should be able to have open and honest conversations. It’s how we share information and where voters turn to find crucial information about the election. As we get closer to November 5th, we must ensure the information that voters are seeing across all social media platforms is accurate,” said Dayanita Ramesh, Social Media director at Stand Up America. “Social media companies have an obligation to prevent and stop objectively false election information if they care at all about the fate of our democracy instead of their own personal interests and what they stand to gain. Stand Up America applauds Senator Welch’s leadership in holding social media companies accountable and making sure that there are clear implementation and enforcement guidelines.”
Learn more about the Digital Integrity in Democracy Act.
Read a section-by-section summary and full text of the bill.
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