Lawmakers Urge Trade Officials to Remove Tech Liability Shield

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is stepping up efforts to have U.S. trade officials eliminate a legal liability shield that tech companies are pushing to keep in new agreements, including a deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement awaiting approval by Congress.

“Including provisions in trade agreements that are controversial to both Republicans and Democrats is not the way to get support from Congress,” House Energy and Committee Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. said as he addressed a Oct. 16 hearing of subcommittees that included executives from Reddit Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google.

The lawmakers, who also ...