1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose the Sunset Section 230 Act. While I understand concerns about online platform accountability, repealing Section 230 would create far more harm than it would solve, particularly for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Section 230 protects online platforms from liability for user-generated content. Without this protection, platforms would become hyper-vigilant about any content that could trigger lawsuits. They would likely prohibit, filter, and remove anything mentioning topics like depression, family separation, or gender identity. This would eliminate vital resources that vulnerable youth depend on, including mental health resources, accurate information about their bodies, and lifesaving support from peers and identity-specific hotlines. For LGBTQ+ youth in unsupportive or abusive families, these digital resources can mean the difference between life and death. The same is true for women in states where abortion is criminalized who need reproductive health information, immigrants protecting neighbors from detention, and abuse survivors seeking accountability and support. The push to repeal Section 230 is part of a years-long coordinated campaign by right-wing political operatives, many linked to the Heritage Foundation. Organizations leading this effort, like the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, have troubling histories. In 1990, their Massachusetts chapter demanded closing a Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit, claiming it contributed to the AIDS crisis by promoting promiscuity. As recently as 2009, they associated gay marriage rights with mass murder. Repealing Section 230 would not fix legitimate problems with social media platforms. Instead, it would expand possibilities for large-scale censorship while harming the very people it claims to protect. Better alternatives exist, such as the Algorithmic Justice and Online Platform Transparency Act, which addresses platform accountability without destroying the protections that make the internet a lifeline for marginalized communities. I urge you to oppose the Sunset Section 230 Act and support targeted reforms that address real harms without enabling widespread censorship.