Internet sex trafficking law FOSTA-SESTA is almost never used, says government report

It’s been over three years since former President Donald Trump signed FOSTA-SESTA, a major carveout to internet speech law Section 230. Proponents called the law — which adds penalties for hosting illegal sex work-related content — necessary to prevent online trafficking. But a new government report suggests it remains rarely used, even as legislators push for other, similar platform liability laws.

Earlier this week, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a legally mandated report on the first three years of FOSTA-SESTA. The oversight agency compiled data from court records and corroborated it with other organizations, including the nonprofit Human Trafficking Legal Center. It found that over three years, the Department...

Continue reading…