Online Freedom of Speech Bill Becomes Law

Statement

Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) released the following statement after President Obama signed into law a bill that will protect freedom of speech online. Congressman Darrell Issa was an original co-sponsor of the bill, which contains many of the provisions from his Consumer Review Freedom Act, introduced earlier last year.

The Consumer Review Fairness Act, which is now law, was needed after a number of consumers have found themselves in court, fighting multi-million dollar lawsuits for leaving negative reviews of companies' services on sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor. The legislation will outlaw the use of "gag clauses" in non-negotiable form contracts which have attracted national scrutiny after some businesses have used the clauses to punish or silence criticism of products and services.

"The Consumer Review Fairness Act is a common-sense solution that ensures no American has their opinion silenced online. When consumers have negative experiences or when a product fails to meet their expectations, it's our right to express those concerns to others. The fair exchange of ideas and information makes the marketplace stronger and makes the goods and services we use every day become even better. I applaud the President for signing this much-needed reform into law. I thank Congressman Lance, Senator Thune, and the rest of my colleagues who worked so hard on this and look forward to continuing our work to protect a fair and open internet for generations to come."

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