In one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ top priorities of the legislative session, the Florida Senate on Monday passed a measure to crack down on social-media companies that remove users from their platforms.
The Republican-controlled Senate voted 22-17, along almost straight party lines, to approve the proposal (SB 7072), which now will go to the House.
DeSantis has made a priority of the issue after decisions by Twitter and Facebook to block former President Donald Trump from their platforms in January after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to prevent certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.
The bill, in part, would bar social-media companies from removing political candidates from the companies’ platforms. Companies that violate the prohibition could face fines of $100,000 a day for statewide candidates and $10,000 a day for other candidates.
The proposal also would require social-media companies to publish standards about issues such as blocking users and apply the standards consistently.
Pointing to the dominance of a handful of technology companies, such as Amazon, Facebook and Google, bill sponsor Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said “big tech is not a free market” and that the state has a role in regulating such companies.
“When the battle is between a monopoly on one side and hard-working Americans on the other, the right side of history has always been on the side of the people,” Rodrigues said. “It has never been on the side of the monopolies, not in this country.”
But Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who joined Democrats in voting against the bill, said the measure is unconstitutional and that it is a “big government bill.”
“This is a bill you would see in countries that we don’t want to talk about, some that are 90 miles south of here and some that are a little further south,” Brandes said, alluding in part to Cuba. “It makes me uncomfortable that we have to have this conversation.”
Democrats also suggested that the bill is politically motivated. DeSantis is a close Trump ally, and many Republicans were outraged when the former president was blocked from social-media platforms.
“We know this bill is as much about political messaging as anything,” Senate Minority Leader Gary Farmer, D-Lighthouse Point said.
But Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, said people have exercised free speech on social media and that platforms “arbitrarily” shut down the expression.
“When you get to a situation where a business has a monopoly on a message, and the ability to direct a message though that monopoly, that is where government kind of sometimes comes in and steps in,” she said. “I think this bill is trying to strike that right balance, by allowing free speech, and at the same time trying to make sure the business is not arbitrarily setting up that speech and blocking out people that they don’t want in.”
–Jim Saunders, with Tom Urban, News Service of Florida
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Deborah Coffey says
Putinistic FASCISM at its finest. Florida on its way to becoming Russia. Even Republicans should be very concerned…because they’re next in the DeSantis playbook.
Richard says
I’d like to see ALL of these BIG TECH & SOCIAL MEDIA companies be run out of business or just shut down as they are becoming more powerful than the Federal Government which is way too powerful as it is.
Coyote says
Wouldn’t it be funny if Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. decided to remove all users with an ISP in Florida? After all, if the state legislators don’t want them, or wants them ONLY under legislative control, why should the citizens object? We all know the Florida legislature is only here to do the will and bidding of the citizens.
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Mantra for the decade :
General Kelly, former President Trump’s former chief-of-staff said it best:
“We need to look infinitely harder at who we elect to any office in our land. At the office seeker’s character, at their morals, at their ethical record, their integrity, their honesty, their flaws, what they have said about women and minorities, why they are seeking office in the first place, and ONLY THEN consider the policies they espouse.”
Michael Cocchiola says
I’m not a lawyer, but I think that private-sector social media platforms can choose their content and their users. This is more Republican nonsense that cannot be enforced and will not stand up in court.
Steve says
RonDon giving the Orange Cheetoh a pat on the head because he had his toy taken away. It will pass go to Courts just like the last Law passed yawn…..This will get shotdown IMO because last I checked they can remove anyone they want thank God. DeathSantis showing his true colours lately. Boo HOO 45
compaqrat2020 says
So the government want to be able to say what they want on social media, by everyone else can get banned from these sites and really have no recourse. Just goes to show how Florida government is doing everything for themselves and not the people.
Pogo says
@Welcome to desantis’ monkey house
https://www.google.com/search?d&q=flying+monkeys
Are these the same flying monkeys that proclaim the right of pharmacists to refuse to be a pharmacist: bakers to refuse customers, employers to refuse women insurance for basic health care, etc., etc.:
The Weaponization of the Free-Exercise Clause
The Supreme Court’s majority is transforming this onetime protection into a sword to strike down hard-fought advances in civil rights.
“There was a time when the Constitution’s protection of the “free exercise” of religion was a sort of shield, a protection for religious minorities from the prejudices of the powerful. No longer. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is in the process of transforming this First Amendment clause into a sword that politically powerful Christian conservatives can use to strike down hard-fought advances in civil rights, especially for LGBTQ individuals and women.
At issue is whether religious believers who object to laws governing matters such as health care, labor protections, and antidiscrimination in public accommodations should have a right to an “exemption” from having to obey those laws. In recent years, religious pharmacists have claimed that they should not be required to fill prescriptions for a legal and authorized medical procedure if that procedure is inconsistent with their beliefs. A court clerk whose religion defined marriage as a union of a man and woman has claimed a free-exercise right to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples who have a constitutional right to marry. Religious business owners, such as bakers and florists, who object to same-sex marriage have claimed a right to refuse service to same-sex couples. And employers have successfully asserted a right to deny their workers health-care benefits that they would otherwise be entitled to, such as contraception or abortion counseling…”
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/09/weaponization-free-exercise-clause/616373/
Do as we say – not as we do.
A Conservative Government is an organized hypocrisy.
— Benjamin Disraeli
P Mannnely says
This must be stopped. We cannot allow politicians to freely discuss their agendas. An agency needs to be formed to regulate what they post online.
Sherry says
Right On, Michael! My thoughts exactly! Social media companies are still private companies entitled to control their content. I agree that there will likely be court battles over this. . . defended by the dollars from the tax payers of Florida. Outrageous!
snapperhead says
You only do this chicanery if you can read the hand writing on the wall. Smart con-servatives know demographics is changing in a way that doesn’t favor their power politically. So while they have power they must tilt the scales as far to the right as they can before them Mexicans, Negroes and liberals take over.
Sigmund Kirk, Esq. says
What a bunch of tools! You know this is going to get tossed out by the United States Supreme Court. The Orange Clown in Palm Beach County will not get his way. Nor will his mini-me Ron-Don our useless governor.
WokeFlaglerRes says
lol.. The reality is this is just a fluff bill to distract people. It wont hold up in the Florida Supreme Court and they know it. It is just another way to distract people why they push through other bills. These are shock bills just like HB 1 that was signed in wont hold up either. But wake up to the realty.. They are wasting our state taxpayers’ money and time and refuse to hear real Bills that can impact our state.. STAY FLUFFY DESANTIS
Stephen J Smith says
A better bill would be one that has social media remove posts from politicians and groups that are not truthful, cherry pick facts, or are not marked as humor or satire.