Pai drops Trump executive order to amend Section 230

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Ajit Pai will not move forward with rulemaking on President Trump’s executive order targeting a key online liability law, he said Thursday.

Pai said on C-SPAN’s “The Communicators” that there is not enough time left in the Trump administration to amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Action, which grants internet companies liability protection for content posted by third parties and good faith moderation.

“Given that reality, I do not believe it’s appropriate to move forward,” he said, according to an edited transcript of the interview from Protocol.

Pai had announced in October that the agency would be moving forward with the executive order.

That decision drew harsh criticism from the two Democrats on the commission, as well as lawmakers who questioned the FCC’s ability to clarify the meaning of laws in the way that the order demanded.

Pai is set to step down from the agency at the beginning of President-elect Joe Biden’s term, and with Democrats set to control the Senate, they will now be able to confirm a nominee to give them a 3-2 advantage on the FCC.

The last FCC meeting with Pai in charge is set for next Wednesday.