(TheIndependentStar.com) – Big Tech has been under fire for its treatment of conservative voices for years. By removing posts and banning users, major companies gain the ability to freely ostracize the right. Many have used fancy language to create terms allowing them to censor people who express anything other than explicitly liberal beliefs and ideals.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis spearheaded a push against the status quo earlier this year, deciding that enough was enough. He played a key role in the creation and approval of Senate Bill 7072, which outlined punishments for companies engaging in social media censorship.
Signed into law on May 24, 2021, the important new law originally granted residents the right to sue companies who refused to provide transparency around censorship and content moderation. The regulatory change also prevented sites from banning political candidates.
Unfortunately, US District Judge Robert L. Hinkle blocked the new rules from going into effect on July 1, 2021.
Judge blocks Florida’s social media law penalizing bans of political candidates https://t.co/SX57BPSrpY
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 1, 2021
The court’s ruling is on a case brought by NetChoice and the Computer and Communication Industry Association for First Amendment rights violations. The basis of the case is the state is trying to force companies to accept speech in violation of their terms.
Hinkle said the law lacks constitutionality, prompting him to issue a preliminary injunction to freeze the regulatory change until the case goes to trial. He also accused lawmakers of trying to control providers perceived as “too liberal” by the state, adding that the balance of ideas between opposing sides is not a government matter.
Representatives for DeSantis expressed disappointment with the ruling, but they do plan to appeal. The governor remains firmly in support of protecting citizens from biased Big Tech censorship and freedom of speech, regardless of this minor setback.
Copyright 2021, TheIndependentStar.com
