Florida legislature to pass law that prevents social media sites like Facebook and Twitter from 'deplatforming' politicians after Donald Trump was banned from social media following the capitol riots.
Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube could be fined up to $250,000 per day
A controversial new bill has been passed by both houses of US state Florida that would stop tech companies from deplatforming politicians.
Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican and close Trump ally, is expected to sign the legislation which allows platforms to suspend accounts, but only for 14 days, and could fine the platforms as much as $250,000 per day for violating the law, according to
Donald Trump was banned by Twitter and suspended by Facebook and YouTube after the deadly Capitol Hill riots in January.
The Florida bill would prohibit social media companies from knowingly “deplatforming” political candidates, meaning a service could not “permanently delete or ban” a candidate.
Opponents argue the measure is unconstitutional and that Republicans are only advancing it because former President Trump Stop inciting insurrection against our republic. We re hearing this bill because Twitter finally deplatformed former President Trump after five people were killed in an insurrection he incited at the U.S. Capitol,” state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) said during debate on S.B. 7072, NBC News reported.
“This bill is not about President Trump,” Rep. John Snyder (R) countered. “This bill is about the 22 million Floridians and their First Amendment rights.”
Net Choice, a trade group for internet companies, said during a hearing for the bill that the companies free speech rights were being violated.
In nod to Trump, Florida is set to ban deplatforming by tech companies yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.