Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a first-of-its-kind bill that prohibits companies like Facebook and Twitter from suspending political candidates from their social media accounts during election time.
New law allows Floridians who are de-platformed by big tech companies to sue
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday is holding a news conference in South Florida.
By: WPTV Staff
and last updated 2021-05-25 10:11:06-04
MIAMI â Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to give Floridians more power over what he calls censorship by big technology companies.
The governor on Monday signed a new law at Florida International University in Miami that aims to give consumers more protection against social media companies. This reform gives every Floridian the power to fight back against big tech, DeSantis said.
The new law allows Floridians who are de-platformed by tech companies to sue them. Courts may award up to $100,000 in damages, DeSantis said.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act exempts websites from being sued for removing content deemed to be “obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable” as long as the companies are acting in “good faith.”
DeSantis said big tech companies are controlling accounts to remove content that doesn t suit their ideology. Republicans have accused companies like Twitter and Facebook of censoring conservative thought. DeSantis pointed in particular to then-President Donald Trump being banned by Twitter while still allowing Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to maintain an account.
“When you de-platform the president of the United States but you let Ayatollah Khamenei talk about killing Jews, that is wrong,” DeSantis said to thunderous applause.
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