US bill proposes to hold social media firms responsible for AI-generated content

Section 230 offers protection for social media companies against any legal liabilities for user generated content. (Illustration by Suneesh K.)

A proposed bill by American Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal will hold social media companies responsible for artificial intelligence-generated content on their platforms, as concerns mount over bias and disinformation being generated by chatbots.

The bill will revoke Section 230 protections for social media companies in cases involving AI content. Section 230 offers protection for social media companies against any legal liabilities for user-generated content.

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The protection says that the social media companies are not the publishers or creators of the content published on their platforms, absolving them of any legal repercussions.

According to the new bill, "Section 230 immunity will not apply to claims based on generative AI, ensuring consumers have the tools they need to protect themselves from harmful content produced by the latest advancements in AI technology".

What this means is that if there are AI-generated deepfakes or a deliberate attempt at ruining someone's reputation using AI, the platform it was distributed on will be held responsible along with the perpetrator.

According to Engadget, the US Congress has pushed for reforms to Section 230 for years to try and reign in social media companies, and hold them accountable for content on their platforms but so far, none of the attempts have succeeded.

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"AI companies should be forced to take responsibility for business decisions as they’re developing products—without any Section 230 legal shield," Blumenthal said in a post on his website.

"This legislation is the first step in our effort to write the rules of AI and establish safeguards as we enter this new era. AI platform accountability is a key principle of a framework for regulation that targets risk and protects the public."