Conservative leaders from Texas and Florida are taking unprecedented action to punish Big Tech for censoring conservatives.
“We are working with Sen. Hughes on legislation to prevent social media providers like Facebook & Twitter from cancelling conservative speech,” Texas Governor Greg Abbot announced Feb. 7 via Twitter. His post linked to television station WFAA’s article “These 3 bills heading to the state legislature will get Texas talking.”
The article included an interview with GOP state Sen. Bryan Hughes, where Hughes discussed Texas’s upcoming reforms. “Federal law does allow us to regulate these companies,” Hughes declared, going on to specify: “if a company discriminates against you, deplatforms you, blocks you, kicks you off based on your viewpoint, based on your politics,your religion, based on viewpoint discrimination, it will give you a way to get back online.”
If this anti-censorship bill discussed on WFAA’s Inside Texas Politics passes, Texans may have their speech uniquely protected:
“What we would like to do is to give any Texan who's being discriminated against the option to bring an action. We think that will get Facebook's attention, get Twitter's attention, and cause them to start treating Texans fairly.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed legislation last week that would hold Big Tech accountable for censoring his constituents.
“DeSantis announced the consequences that big tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google will face if they violate the privacy of Floridians and interfere with citizens’ access to candidates during an election,” The Epoch Times reported Feb. 2.
“Floridians should have the privacy of their data and personal information protected, their ability to access and participate in online platforms protected, and their ability to participate in elections free from interference from big tech protected,” DeSantis (R-FL) proclaimed during a Feb. 2 press conference.
Under Florida’s proposed anti-censorship rule, “technology companies that de-platform a candidate during an election will face a daily fine of $100,000 until the candidate’s access to the platform is restored,” The Epoch Times wrote. What makes the rule have legal credibility is the idea that “If a technology company promotes a candidate for office against another, the value of that free promotion must be recorded as a political campaign contribution enforced by the Florida Elections Commission.”
Conservatives are under attack. Contact your local representative and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on “hate speech” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us at the Media Research Center contact form and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
