WASHINGTON: The Trump Administration is proposing to remove safeguards protecting US tech giants against prosecution for illegal content posted by users of their platforms. 

For decades, social network and search platforms such as Google and Facebook have enjoyed immunity from their users’ posts.

Trump wants to scrap a law proscribed in 1990, known as Section 230, aimed squarely at bringing down the platforms’ liability shield. 

The Justice Department is trying to push tech companies to address criminal content on their platforms, including child exploitation, terrorism and cyber stalking, and to boost transparency for users. 

The proposal is aimed at seeking to push platforms to address illegal and illicit content online.

The move comes after Trump attacked Twitter for warning readers to fact check his tweets.