May 13, 2021
A new Florida bill is causing controversy by preventing technology companies from removing politicians from their social media platforms.
The bill is now awaiting the signature of Florida Governor and Trump ally Ron DeSantis.
The law gives platforms leeway to block accounts, but only for 14 days, and platforms that violate it may be fined up to $250,000 a day.
NetChoice, a group that promotes free speech on the Internet, testified against the law a month ago.
Former President Donald Trump was removed from Twitter and suspended from both Facebook and YouTube after the riots at Capitol Hill in January.
Since leaving office, Trump has spent time in Florida and is considered a close confidant of the state’s governor and other senior Republicans in the Sunshine State.
Governor DeSantis had previously criticized the tech companies, saying they had “come to look more like Big Brother.”
If the bill is passed, technology companies will most likely challenge it in court, arguing that the law violates the First Amendment.
The law also includes a clause exempting a company operating an amusement park or entertainment complex from this bill. Florida is home to the Disney World theme park.
This has fueled criticism from other lawmakers who say the bill is highly hypocritical.
For more information, read the original story in BBC.
