Supreme Court Seeks US Views on Texas, Florida Social Media Laws
- State laws cut back editorial discretion of largest platforms
- Companies say laws would mean more online spam, bullying
A visitor takes a photograph of the Supreme Court in Washington, DC.
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The US Supreme Court asked the Biden administration for input on Florida and Texas laws that would sharply restrict the editorial discretion of the largest social media platforms in a First Amendment showdown.
Two industry groups are challenging the Republican-backed laws, saying they would impose onerous requirements and put platforms at risk of being overrun by spam and bullying. The Texas law bars large platforms from discriminating based on viewpoint, while the Florida statute requires a “thorough rationale” for every content-moderation decision.