Biden FCC Nominee Sits on Board of Group That Opposes Anti-Sex Trafficking Efforts
The nominee of President Biden for the presidency Federal Communications Commission (FCC) He is currently a member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s (EFF) board, a group which has strongly opposed bipartisan legislation that would protect victims of sextrafficking.
Gigi Sohn — who Biden nominated this month for a vacant FCC seat previously held by Ajit Pai, the agency’s former chairman — joined EFF’s board of directors in December 2018 after being a “close collaborator” Cindy Cohn, EFF Executive Director, said that the group has been with them for almost two decades. EFF also launched an attack against two bipartisan efforts that year. hold sex traffickers accountable Protect victims.
EFF has focused its ire mainly on the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, (SESTA), and Allow States to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, (FOSTA). The combined bills passed the House by a margin (388-25) and the Senate by a 97-2 vote early 2018, before former President Donald Trump signed the bill into law.
Notably, the legislation established a federal criminal and civil liability for all individuals who were subject to it. “owns, manages, or operates an interactive computer service” Third-party content is hosted or hosted by the host, with the intention to “promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person.” It also created liabilities in the case of platforms that support, assist, or facilitates sex trafficking. It was designed to stop websites providing platforms for prostitution, sex trafficking and other illegal activities.
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Gigi Sohn testifies in a Senate confirmation hearing, which examined her nomination to the Federal Communications Commission (February 9, 2022).
(Pete Marovich/Pool/Getty Images)
While proponents of the legislation — including lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and a wide range of anti-human trafficking, civil rights and law enforcement groups — argued it would help children and other vulnerable communities against online sex trafficking, EFF said it would lead to censorship and would harm online-based prostitutes.
“Today is a dark day for the Internet,” EFF tweeted after the bill passed in March 2018. “Congress just passed the Internet censorship bill SESTA/FOSTA.”
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“Sex workers have spoken out … explaining how online platforms have literally saved their lives,” It was added to a follow-up tweet. “Why didn’t Congress consult with the people their bill would most directly affect?”
EFF then filed a suit in June 2018, asking a federal court to invalidate the law. According to the lawsuit, the law violated the First and Fifth Amendments, and therefore was unconstitutional.
Former Sen. Rob Portman (Republican Senator from Ohio) introduced FOSTA together with 70 senators who supported the legislation.
(Photo taken by AL DRAGO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images.
“FOSTA calls into serious question the legality of online speech that advocates for the decriminalization of sex work, or provides health and safety information to sex workers,” The group claimed that it had filed the legal challenge.
“FOSTA muzzles online speech that protects and advocates for sex workers and forces well-established, general interest community forums offline for fear of criminal charges and heavy civil liability for things their users might share,” It was also added.
Sohn served as its board member in 2018, but EFF continued to fight the SESTA/FOSTA legislation via litigation, social media accounts, and other advocacy campaigns. EFF also regretted that Craigslist was shut down by the law. “personals section,” This website was accused of being a hotbed of human traffickers. “furries.”
The group filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Circuit in April, a month following a ruling by a federal judge against EFF.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children was supported by Polaris, Rights4Girls and Shared Hope International. FAIR Girls was also supported by the National Fraternal Order of Police.
“FOSTA-SESTA is critical if we are going to help stop the scourge of human trafficking,” After the House passed the bill in 2018, Joe Racalto, Polaris’ director of government relations, made a statement.
Gigi Sohn testifies in front of the House Judiciary Committee, March 12, 2019.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
EFF also voiced opposition to bipartisan legislation, Eliminating Abusive, Rampant Neglect, Interactive Technologies Act (EARN IT Act), which was introduced by Senators. Lindsey Graham, R.S.C. and Richard Blumenthal D.Conn. in 2020. The bill would remove the “blanket immunity for violations of laws related to online child sexual abuse material.”
EFF claimed that the EARN IT Act (which was most recently proposed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 20, 2022) would place a halt to the exploitation of the internet. “massive legal pressure” Internet companies should stop using encryption “instead scan all user messages, photos, and files.”
EFF organized people to call their congressmen to ask them to vote no on the bill.
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The group has also partnered with Danielle Blunt a New York dominatrix. “specializes in a variety of femdom activities, including: foot worship, BDSM coaching, bondage, and more.” Blunt was awarded the EFF Award for Excellence in 2020 by EFF “research into sex work and equitable access to technology.”
“Sex workers were some of the earliest adopters of the web,” Blunt spoke during his acceptance speech. “Sex workers were some of the first to use ecommerce platforms and the first to have personal websites. The rapid growth of countless tech platforms was reliant on the early adoption of sex workers.”
Blunt was a participant in an EFF-sponsored event in June “queer optimism” EFF tweeted it in November 2021 that it was “grateful to work alongside” Blunt.
Sohn was nominated by President Biden for an open seat on the FCC. This marks the second time that he has nominated Sohn.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, if the Senate were to confirm Sohn to the position, the FCC — a powerful independent agency with far-reaching regulatory powers over the tech and communications industries — would have a 3-2 Democratic majority.
Her nomination this month marked her participation in the second time Biden has nominated Sohn is the candidate for the position. She was initially appointed by President Pai to replace Pai in Oct 2021. But, concerns over her past social media posts on key issues and her views on those issues prevented the Senate holding a floor vote.
Sohn was a vocal supporter of net neutrality, and he proposed possibly stripping Sinclair (right-leaning broadcaster) of its FCC licence. Sohn’s conduct has been warned by the Chamber of Commerce, which is the largest business industry group in the country. “extreme views” reiterated its demand that the Senate reject her nomination.
In response to an inquiry, the EFF referred Fox News Digital past comments about SESTA-FOSTA legislation. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
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