Regulation Expert Available to Discuss Proposed Internet Censorship Bill

Rutgers scholar Stuart Shapiro, an expert on federal and state regulating powers, is available to comment on proposed federal legislation that would remove immunity for Facebook, Twitter and YouTube from liability for user-posted content unless the companies prove their content moderation is politically neutral.

“The power of social media companies in society and politics calls for a wise, nuanced look at how they are regulated,” Shapiro said. “Sen. Josh Hawley’s bill is not nuanced and likely very unwise.  It would curb protections of free speech without even touching other issues such as user privacy and the market power of some of those companies.”

Shapiro is a professor and associate dean of faculty at Rutgers’ Bloustein School of Public Policy. He is a former policy analyst at OIRA, and previously worked at the Office of Management and Budget under presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Shapiro can be reached at [email protected].