Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' social media crackdown law faces first lawsuit

Describing the law as a “frontal assault on the First Amendment,” two online industry groups filed a federal lawsuit Thursday seeking to block a measure pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to crack down on large social-media companies.

NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association want a judge to prevent the law from taking effect July 1, contending that it is a “smorgasbord of constitutional violations” that would prevent companies from properly moderating content on their platforms.

“The act discriminates against and infringes the First Amendment rights of these targeted companies, which include plaintiffs’ members, by compelling them to host —- and punishing them for taking virtually any action to remove or make less prominent —- even highly objectionable or illegal content, no matter how much that content may conflict with their terms or policies,” said the 70-page lawsuit, filed in federal court in Tallahassee.

The lawsuit contends that the measure, which was passed last month by the Republican-controlled Legislature, violates free-speech, due-process and equal-protection rights. Also, it argues that the law violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution and flies in the face of a federal law that shields internet companies from such regulation.

Read more: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2021/05/28/florida-gov-ron-desantis-social-media-crackdown-law-faces-first-lawsuit