60 Tesla Takedown Organizers on Section 230: “Democrats, don’t kill the tools we need to organize!”
Sixty activists are calling on Democrats to drop efforts to end Section 230, a provision commonly known as the Internet’s first amendment.
In the wake of over three hundred mass Tesla Takedown protests across the United States on 3/29, organizers have sent a letter to Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Democratic leaders. In brief and direct language, sixty activists who hosted decentralized peaceful protests in their communities across the country are demanding that Democrats leave Section 230, the first amendment of the Internet, alone.
This letter comes as Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is previewing the introduction of a bill that would sunset Section 230 in two years, deep in the middle of the Trump administration, leaving online platforms and organizing tools like those that the Tesla Takedown or 50501 movements use vulnerable to censorship. Human rights and social justice organizations have spoken out vigorously against such efforts in the past—and flagged the threat a 230 repeal would pose to independent news and abortion information online.
The letter reads in part:
“Big Tech will survive 230 changes just fine, but the spaces we use for organizing won’t. In fact, people like Mark Zuckerberg want to mess with Section 230 in order to kill competition. Without the first amendment of the Internet, their competitors like Bluesky and Reddit will either have to bend the knee to the Trump administration and delete people and posts as he sees fit—or else, allow violent threats and intimidation against activists like us to rain down with no repercussions.“
Find the letter and 60 signatories here: https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2025-04-15-tesla-takedown-organizers-letter-democrats-dont-kill-the-tools-we-need-to-organize/
Some signatories chose not to give their full names for personal safety and privacy reasons.
Evan Greer (she/her), Director at Fight for the Future, which organized the letter, said: “The Trump administration is unquestionably the most censorship-happy government in recent US history and the Democrats attacking Section 230 are aiding and abetting fascist attacks on free speech. Trump and Musk have made it clear they intend to weaponize every corner of the Federal government to punish journalists, activists, scientists, academics, and anyone else who speaks out or questions the regime. Gutting Section 230 would cripple alternative platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon, where millions have flocked after Elon Musk took over Twitter.”
Please find additional quotes from organizers who signed the letter below:
“There is no way I could have organized our weekly veteran-centered protests at the Tesla dealership in my small county without the safeguards Section 230 affords me. The reality is big tech is already throttling opinions that fail to fall in line to the current administration, and the universities and big law firms are joining big tech in bending the knee. Taking away the protections little people like me have with Section 230 will allow you to let others to force me to bend as well. I have no intention of bending. Don’t you bend.” — California organizer Patty Hoyt
“It’s outrageous that Democrats would consider gutting the free and open internet. Sunsetting Section 230 will do nothing to rein in the problems created by Big Tech. All it will achieve is crushing grassroots movements, restricting information and giving the biggest corporate players new tools to crush competition.” — Washington organizer Evan Sutton
“Tesla takedowns were clearly a contributor to Musk promising to step away from DOGE. If Dems are going to thrust the responsibility of resisting this regime upon the people, our right to assembly MUST be protected!” — Colorado organizer Vivian Schmidt
“I can understand Sen. Lindsay Graham trying to ruin our democracy because that’s what he’s been doing for years and years but Sen. Dick Durbin? Sen. Dick Durbin is also plotting to push forward the bill to sunset Section 230 to weaken our democratic rights of freedom to organize and freedom of speech? I know Sen. Durbin is “old school,” working with “the other side of the aisle” which is an anachronism from when republicans used the facade of democracy to help advance their pro-autocratic agenda, but Sen. Dick Durbin! Sen. Dick Durbin, stop helping ruin our democracy! Stop it! Hands Off! our democratic right to organize and speak in the public square!” — California organizer Mary B.
“As Americans, peaceful protesting is important because, besides the ballot box, it is the most powerful tool we have to exercise our free speech, demand change, and hold leaders accountable in a democratic society.” — Illinois organizer Connie James-Jenkin
“Hands Off the right to organize under section 230. Social media platforms like Bluesky are allow citizens to freely exercise their 1st Amendment rights free from the grips of the Technofascists.” — California organizer JG
“The cuts by Elon and DOGE to federal agencies have already cost my partner and I our jobs. Our own government is waging a cruel purge against us, and we have the right as Americans to speak out in opposition and to protest.” — Michigan organizer Pete H
“Section 230 aligns with the First Amendment. As individuals, we are responsible and accountable for our words. If I go to a Town Hall held at a conference center and I say something negative about the actions of my elected representative, the venue is neither responsible nor accountable for my words. If I rent a building and I erect an offensive sign, my landlord won’t be held accountable. Online spaces should, logically, work the same way, and that’s the point. Individualism is as American as baseball and the 4th of July.” — Texas organizer AJ V.