May 27, 2021, 7:00 AM PDT
Tech Liability Shield Has No Place in Trade Deals, Groups Say
Anna Edgerton
Bloomberg News
A coalition of internet accountability groups is warning the Biden administration against including liability protections for tech companies in future trade agreements, saying that could hamstring efforts to hold platforms responsible for user content.
In a letter sent to President Joe Biden on Thursday, the organizations said including a legal shield in trade deals like the 2018 U.S.-Mexico-Canada accord “reflects a broad effort by the big tech platforms to use ‘trade negotiations’ to limit domestic policy options.”
The letter was signed by 16 public interest groups focused on issues such as civil rights, democracy and the market power of tech.