Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to sign a new bill this week that will severely punish social media platforms that ban American politicians.
The law will penalize Big Tech companies for banning political candidates and effectively swaying election result.
Companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Google would face minimum fines of $250,000 per day for banning a Florida political candidate and $25,000 for other candidates.
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Social media platforms would also be required to publish standards on when users could face bans and to provide seven days of notice to candidates who face a potential suspension.
Foxnews.com reports: “This bill is not about President Trump,” Republican Florida Rep. John Snyder said, according to the Sun-Sentinel. “This bill is about the 22 million Floridians and their First Amendment rights.”
The bill, SB 7072, applies to companies with more than 100 million monthly users – a standard that would affect Facebook and Twitter. Republicans, including DeSantis, have long accused social media platforms of attempting to silence conservative voices.
Criticism of prominent social media platforms intensified after several companies opted to permanently ban Donald Trump’s accounts following the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Trump has yet to return to social media.
The GOP-controlled Florida Senate approved the bill in a 23-17 vote. The state’s House voted 77-37 to approve the bill.
The legislation drew widespread criticism from state Democratic lawmakers who argued the bill was a politically motivated response to Trump’s ban. Democrats also questioned language included in a final version of the bill that effectively exempted Disney-owned apps by noting that theme park operators weren’t subject to the rules.
Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said the exemption for Disney was “comical.”
“This exemption for companies that own theme parks is an example of the loophole in this bill,” Eskamani said. “This bill is really political in nature. It’s not about trying to impact the concerns of deplatforming. Now it’s catering to a specific company.”
Niamh Harris
Elections are effectively a form of natural justice ,as is the rights to free speech ,and anyone interfering with that right should be jailed for instructing justice ,perverting justice and when it’s fine to bias outcomes to prejudice and discriminate then its also a conspiracy to pervert natural justice
Obstructing justice, not instructing Auto correct is guilty guilty guilty
And dine not fine Its done as a conspiracy
Done See if it even changes done to fine Totally out of context even.