United States of America: Introduced Senate Bill (S.2031) including unfair methods of competition for online platforms

On 10 June 2021, the PRO-SPEECH Act (S. 2031) is introduced to the U.S. Senate. The Act is introduced with the goal of preserving competition on the internet. Specifically, internet platforms would be prohibited from blocking users' access to lawful content, applications or services, unless they either harm the functionality of the platform or the safety of the user. Furthermore, users' access to lawful internet traffic must not be impeded. Besides blocking users' access, internet platforms would also be prohibited from blocking other competing internet platforms. Additionally, any unreasonable discrimination of users and competing internet platforms are forbidden. Excluded from these rules are small internet platforms and publishers of any kind. In order to check these rules, transparency obligations for the platforms are created.