Florida law seeks to rein in large social media companies

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Standing at a lectern with a sign reading “STOP BIG TECH CENSORSHIP," Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that seeks to punish social media platforms that remove conservative ideas from their sites.

The new law will enable the state to fine large social media companies $250,000 a day if they remove an account of a statewide political candidate, and $25,000 a day if they remove an account of someone running for a local office. It takes effect July 1.

DeSantis said big tech companies are controlling accounts to remove content that doesn't suit their ideology. Republicans have accused companies like Twitter and Facebook of censoring conservative thought. DeSantis pointed in particular to then-President Donald Trump being banned by Twitter while still allowing Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to maintain an account.

“When you de-platform the president of the United States but you let Ayatollah Khamenei talk about killing Jews, that is wrong,” DeSantis said to thunderous applause at a bill-signing ceremony at Florida International University in Miami.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-law-seeks-rein-large-165209674.html

He's no longer president DeShithead. Your guy lost and it wasn't because of social media.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. They should all just de-platform all of Florida in response

Let's see how much 'thunderous applause' that gets from Floridians.

[bahboo]

5. I was thinking not only that...

but other businesses should just pull out of Florida as well, they're a rogue state. Cruise ships especially...

[Moostache]

2. What exactly is a "conservative" idea?

Is that like "military intelligence", "jumbo shrimp" or "funny republican"?
(Oxymorons all...)

Or do you mean, "I'm really mad that you are enforcing rules against false statements or inciting violence and I want to make it easy for me to stir up the crazies without, you know, without actually BUILDING ANYTHING.

(The party of "ideas"? Uh-huh... Not impressed.)

[Claire Oh Nette]

8. Disinformation and ALternative facts

The GOP posts lies and debunked information, so there's that.

If they speak truth, and don't spout hate speech and lies, and follow the terms of service, no one will censor them, now will they?

[PortTack]

3. Good luck with that deathsatan..i hope you like losing

[struggle4progress]

4. "A public service announcement from window-smashers for hydroxychloroquine"

[Midnight Writer]

6. So if I want to promote, say, genocide against Christians, I should just file for office?

As a political candidate, I would be protected under Florida law, right?

[Caliman73]

7. Conservatives are ridiculous.

They take actual problems, that need to be addressed, then twist them in to the most petty, partisan bullshit.

Do the Tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter have too much influence in social discourse? Are they practicing as virtual monopolies like Ma Bell in the 1970's and 80's? Are there speech implications here as well as non-competitive business practices that hurt the discourse.

Can the tech companies operate under oppressive regimes like China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc... where they enforce restrictive rules, but be considered open and honest platforms in the US and other democracies? Are those discrepancies acceptable?

All of the above are valid questions we should be discussing as those companies have a huge effect on how speech is delivered.

What is not a question is whether those companies are "censoring" conservative speech. That is just more conservative bullshit. They are not "good faith" critiques, nor are they valid arguments.

Trump didn't get kicked off of Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms because he is a conservative. He got kicked off after repeated violations of the terms of service. He was lying about the election, was told to stop, then after he did not stop, his accounts were suspended. The platforms are not necessarily liable for Trump's speech, but there is an obligation and they faced public pressure not to provide space for those lies which are damaging to the society.

We should DEFINITELY have a discussion around what the tech giants' monopolistic hold over platforms for speech do to democracy and especially if those same platforms operate in countries where speech is actually censored by government to repress democratic functioning. Those are worthy and valid discussions to have. That said, Republicans/Conservative DO NOT GIVE ONE SOLITARY SHIT about those other issue. NOT ONE. They are looking to force those companies to advantage, to privilege conservative speech over other forms of speech using State power. They want to be Saudi Arabia, Iran, or China, not to address the freedom killing power those regimes have in tandem with the tech giants.

The fact that they did shut down Trump's account while president was actually a sign that no American is above the rules of fair use, not even the executive officer of the United States. It is one thing they did correctly.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Hard To Pick A Side

While I distrust anything desatan does, I also think the big social media companies have done incalculable damage to our culture & to political discourse.
So, there appear to be no good guys in this scrum.
Obviously, private ownership is at issue here and why I don't think this "law" will be enforceable or stand against a court challenge.
Best outcome is they take it to court, they win but it costs them a ton, and desatan gets disappointed that his big move was a failure.