Online terrorism propaganda is at an all time high thanks to little regulation and a lack of educational efforts within the United States. In an attempt to combat this national security issue, representatives from the Select Committee on Intelligence wrote an act titled the Online Terrorism Propaganda Prevention Act, or OTPPA. The act was presented to the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, and Select Committee on Intelligence committees during the full session Friday at 1:20PM. 

The main goals of the OTPPA--co-authored by Darien LaHood (R-IL 18th District), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA 8th District), and others--are to track and remove online terrorism propaganda using both Einstein censors and social media regulations and to implement a required high school curriculum through the Department of Education educating students on terrorist propaganda. Einstein censors are a cybersecurity apparatus developed by the CISA and would be used by both the CISA and FCC to remove harmful propaganda. Social media producers would be required to observe and report all posts potentially associated with terrorist organizations. Furthermore, the authors of the act understand that most members of terrorist groups are recruiting by targeting high schoolers simply browsing the internet, and the act would help prevent those students from falling victim to such recruitment. The curriculum would educate students on what designates terrorist propaganda and the ways to stay away from it on the internet. 

Both sides had plenty of concern and support to offer about this act. For example, co-author Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA 8th District) argued that from his own personal experience of presiding in Congress during the Boston Marathon bombing, he knows that such an act is necessary to create an international coalition against terrorism and prevent a future continuation of it. However, John Sarbanes (D-MD 3rd District) pointed out what he viewed as a flaw in the bill. He contested that, since social media companies profit off of traffic and usage, they cannot be trusted to effectively monitor terrorist propaganda and follow regulation without keeping their own incentives in mind: money. Although dangerous posts would have to be immediately reported to the Department of Homeland Security, Sarbanes believed social media companies have not earned enough trust from the people or the government for that kind of responsibility.

At the end of the debate session, Sarbanes proposed an amendment to the bill establishing a subcommittee of the Department of Homeland Security focused solely on creating guidelines for preventing terrorism propaganda. The amendment was debated thoroughly, with both sides presenting developed points. Sarbanes defended his amendment, claiming that the “social media titans” such as Mark Zuckerberg have failed at controlling false information and harmful propaganda in the past, and, thus, the government needs to take charge instead. Opposing the amendment, Greg Landsman (D-OH 1st District) highlighted the effectiveness of the act as is. With potential propaganda posts already being sent to the Department of Homeland Security for evaluation, Landsman did not see a point in adding more government regulation.

A two-thirds vote passed the amendment and added it to the act. After a motion to vote on the passing of the act itself, it was passed and the vote was held. A vote of 84 for and 102 against led to a failure of the passing of the act. The failure warranted many positive cheers from the audience, a blatant display of disrespect for the authors of and speakers for the act. More unprofessional behavior has been present in Congress recently, and this exhibition is no exception. In the future, Americans can expect more conversation about the dangers of online terrorism propaganda, and the ways it can be stopped.