Katie ritchie katie.lexchron@gmail.com TECH TALK

When is the last time an elected official did something to protect you and your family? Attorney General Alan Wilson and 46 other AGs want Congress to protect you from online crime.

The AGs are trying to address a misinterpretation which has created a loophole. In 1996 legislators passed the Communication Decency Act (CDA). The act, designed to promote free expression, was enacted to help the internet grow. The CDA was meant to protect companies who sponsored message boards. Those sponsors wanted protection if a member posted something inappropriate or illegal.

While the intention seems harmless, as the internet expanded the law had not. Misinterpretation of Section 230 of the CDA by federal courts has caused problems. Some courts allowed individuals who knowingly profit from illegal activities to flourish. Sex traffickers, black market opioid sellers, and identity thieves are some of the criminals who have found a home online.

The AGs want to make sure those criminals and those who harbor and aid them can be prosecuted. The “Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act” and “Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act,” FOSTA-SESTA, was signed into law in 2018. The acts made it clear Section 230 of the CDA does not grant immunity to sex traffickers acting online. That was the start.

Now the AGs want to allow states to protect their citizens from all online criminals.AG Alan Wilson said, “Just because an illegal activity is happening online doesn’t mean states shouldn’t be allowed to go after these criminals.”

We can hope Congress responds by amending the CDA. By allowing state and local law enforcement to respond to cybercriminals and those who aid them, we can hope for real change.