Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

US President Donald Trump is expected to order a review of a law that has long protected Twitter, Facebook and Google from being responsible for the material posted by their users, according to a draft executive order and a source familiar with the situation.

Federal spending on online advertising will be reviewed by US government agencies to ensure there are no speech restrictions by the relevant platform

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The executive order would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to propose and clarify regulations under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law largely exempting online platforms from legal liability for the material their users post.

The order asks the FCC to examine whether actions related to the editing of content by social media companies should potentially lead to the platform forfeiting its protections under section 230.

The draft order also requires the attorney-general to establish a working group including state attorneys-general that will examine the enforcement of state laws that prohibit online platforms from engaging in unfair and deceptive acts.