Florida Social Media Law Almost Breaks Free Speech, Government Judges

On Wednesday a federal judge overturned a recent Florida law that should have authorized the state to punish telecommunications companies when they barred political candidates, the judge said, possibly violating the right to free speech.

U.S. Regional Judge Robert Hinkle in Tallahassee issued the first decree banning law enforcement, which was due to take effect on Thursday.

“This order includes the enforcement of portions of the law that are overlooked or that violate the First Amendment,” said the judge in an order filed in the United States Regional Court in the North Florida region.

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“The plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their claim that these laws violate the First Amendment,” Hinkle wrote. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees citizens the right to free speech.

Two technical groups had filed a lawsuit in Florida in May over the new law.

The lawsuit was reportedly filed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, in May unconstitutional.

It was filed by the NetChoice and Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA). Team members include Facebook, Twitter and Google for characters.

Florida would be the first state to control how social media companies rate online speech.

The new law would make it easier for Florida attorney general and others in the province to sue technology companies over claims that platforms impose restrictions on content on users incorrectly or inconsistently.

The law was criticized by online legal experts for being unconstitutional and as before Section 230, a federal law that protects online companies from liability for content posted by users.

Former President Donald Trump, also a Republican, was banned from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube after platforms blocked or stopped him from continuing the dangers of the violence following the January 6 strike at the US Capitol by some of his supporters.

The ban added to long Republican allegations that online platforms test content for non-cultural bias.

Also see: IIT Hyderabad, WiSig announces ‘Koala’, India’s first 5G SoC to drive NB-IoT systems

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