Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt brought star power to Capitol Hill Wednesday as he joined Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin to advocate for repealing federal liability protections that shield social media companies from lawsuits. The "500 Days of Summer" and "10 Things I Hate About You" actor urged lawmakers to support Durbin's Sunset Section 230 Act, bipartisan legislation targeting the 1996 Communications Decency Act amendment that has protected Big Tech for decades.
"These amoral companies, they just keep allowing these awful things to happen on their platforms — and they won't do anything about it because they will always prioritize profits over the public good, even when it comes to kids," Gordon-Levitt said during the Capitol Hill press conference.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has served as a cornerstone legal protection for social media platforms since 1996, shielding companies from lawsuits related to user-generated content hosted on their platforms. The provision allows platforms to moderate content without being treated as publishers legally responsible for everything users post.
The Illinois senator's legislation, introduced in December, represents a growing bipartisan effort to hold tech companies accountable for content that advocates say harms minors. The bill is cosponsored by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading voice on Capitol Hill for protecting children online, though Graham was not present at Wednesday's event.
Gordon-Levitt, who is a father himself, became visibly emotional as he spoke about stories from parents whose children were harmed through social media platforms. Photos of affected children were displayed during the press conference, which the actor said reminded him of his own kids.
"I just heard a couple of stories that left me trying to keep myself together," Gordon-Levitt said, gesturing to the photos. "These photos remind me of my kids, and the harm that was done to these kids online might have been prevented if certain Big Tech companies knew that they could be sued."
Among those joining the advocacy effort was Bridgette Noring, whose son Devin died by fentanyl poisoning after connecting with a drug dealer on Snapchat. Noring directly challenged arguments that rolling back Section 230 would damage internet freedom.
"Sunsetting Section 230 won't destroy the internet, and nothing we are proposing will impact our First Amendment rights," Noring said. "What it will do is end blanket immunity without responsibility for tech companies."
The push to modify or repeal Section 230 has gained momentum across party lines as lawmakers acknowledge regulatory missteps from the late 1990s and early 2000s when the internet and tech industries were in their infancy. Critics argue that the original intent of fostering innovation has been overshadowed by platforms that now prioritize profits while allowing harmful content to flourish.
Parents and advocates who spoke alongside Durbin and Gordon-Levitt argued that social media companies exploit Section 230 protections to avoid accountability for content that endangers minors. They contend that removing these legal shields would force platforms to take more responsibility for monitoring and removing harmful content.
The bipartisan nature of the Sunset Section 230 Act reflects broader congressional frustration with Big Tech's influence and perceived lack of accountability. Lawmakers from both parties have increasingly criticized social media companies for their content moderation practices and their impact on children's mental health and safety.
Durbin assured reporters that Graham remained committed to the legislation despite his absence from Wednesday's press conference. The South Carolina senator's support is crucial given his influence on technology policy and his close relationship with key political figures.
The legislation comes as Congress continues to grapple with how to regulate technology companies that have grown far beyond what lawmakers envisioned when the original protections were enacted. Social media platforms have evolved from simple bulletin boards to sophisticated algorithms that can influence billions of users worldwide.
Supporters of the Sunset Section 230 Act argue that the current legal framework gives tech companies too much protection while providing too little incentive to protect users, particularly children. They contend that removing these protections would create market pressures for platforms to develop better safety measures.
The involvement of a high-profile celebrity like Gordon-Levitt signals the growing public attention to these issues and the political momentum behind efforts to reform tech regulation. As Congress faces increasing pressure to act on Big Tech accountability, the combination of bipartisan legislative support and celebrity advocacy could prove influential in advancing the bill's prospects.