Hawley wants to strip social media protections for suspected role in fentanyl deaths

The role that social media plays in the spread of fentanyl came under scrutiny during a U.S. Senate committee hearing Tuesday. 

A woman from Minnesota testified that her son died from painkillers he ordered from a drug dealer on Snapchat, not knowing the pills he ordered contained fentanyl. 

Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley says parents should be allowed to sue social media platforms for damages:

“And until this body takes that action, I just have to say, almost nothing else we do is really serious. You can try to fine them. They don’t care. You can change the rules on reporting. They’ll evade it. You can slap them on the wrist. They won’t do anything. Until plaintiffs can get into court, nothing will change.”

Hawley says he’ll sponsor legislation that would remove the exemption in federal law that shields social media platforms from being sued. 

Current law protects social media platforms from being sued for content posted by one of their users.