ITIF Welcomes House Passage of Consumer Review Fairness Act
WASHINGTON—The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a technology policy think tank, today released the following statement from Daniel Castro, ITIF vice president, commending passage of the Consumer Review Fairness Act in the U.S. House of Representatives:
One of the defining benefits of the digital economy is the ‘wisdom of the crowd,’ where consumers have access to unbiased feedback about products and services. Protecting online speech, especially complaints or criticisms, is necessary for online markets to function efficiently. Using non-disparagement clauses to silence negative public feedback undermines a key part of the digital economy and makes consumers and businesses worse off.
We commend the House for passing the Consumer Review Fairness Act because the protections offered in the bill will help ensure that the benefits of lawful free speech continue in the digital marketplace and that non-disparagement clauses aren’t used to silence citizens’ basic rights to freedom of expression in the digital marketplace.
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The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute focusing on the intersection of technological innovation and public policy. Recognized by its peers in the think tank community as the global center of excellence for science and technology policy, ITIF’s mission is to formulate and promote policy solutions that accelerate innovation and boost productivity to spur growth, opportunity, and progress.
