Trump signs law weakening shield for online services

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed a new law aimed at curbing sex trafficking.

During a White House signing ceremony Wednesday, the president said the survivors “are very brave.”

Among those at the ceremony were Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, several members of Congress and families of victims.

This is an important day in the fight against human trafficking as this bipartisan legislation officially becomes law. Thank you to everyone who gathered at the White House today, and so many others, for your tireless efforts to make this possible. #FOSTA – #SESTA #EndTrafficking pic.twitter.com/E7jWPbSRBK

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) April 11, 2018

The law passed Congress overwhelmingly. It weakens a legal shield for online services that host abusive content, including sex trafficking.

The protections made users of such sites as Facebook liable for the content. The legislation grew out of frustration that classified-ad sites can claim they aren’t the publisher of questionable content but are merely transmitting posts by others.

Trump called the issue “a tough one,” and handed one signing pen to the mother of a victim of the sex trade.