Letters: Senate bill targets innocent websites, not bordellos
Re “U.S. Senate must act to close online bordellos, especially those that exploit children” (Editorials, Nov. 15): Pretend for a moment that this letter incorporates an offer of sex for money, couched in non-obvious language. Suppose that I post this letter in your online comments section. Under Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, S. 1693, as currently drafted, The Sacramento Bee is now complicit in my illegal sex-for-money scheme, and any of the 50 states attorneys general could prosecute The Bee as a partner in my crime. The fact that The Bee had no idea of my evil intent will not protect The Bee from SESTA. The practical effect of SESTA will be thousands of innocent online forums disappearing. Innocent sites like Fixya.com will not be able to police their comments to comply with SESTA. Only the major internet portals, YouTube, Facebook, will maintain online comments. We will all be the poorer for it. The free speech about to be taken by SESTA is ours. Please think twice before you give it up.
Stuart Hastings, Carmichael
This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 10:23 AM with the headline "Letters: Senate bill targets innocent websites, not bordellos."