A bill before Congress would give sex trafficking victims legal grounds to sue online platforms like Google and Facebook.
With the ongoing investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, the bill comes at a time of increased scrutiny for tech companies.
Up until a few weeks ago, companies like Google and Facebook had fiercely opposed this legislation. That’s because the current law from 1996 -- Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act -- provided the very foundation for these internet companies to thrive.
"Many of those sites exist, in large part, because Congress said they wouldn’t be responsible for what third parties say or do using their tools," says Santa Clara University law professor Eric Goldman.