Arguments Made on Florida Social Media Law – CBS Miami

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) — A federal appeals court is expected to hear arguments in late April in a battle over Florida law that will place restrictions on companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Facebook. YouTube.

The 11th U.S. Court of Appeals issued a notice this week saying the arguments would be heard in the week of April 25, although the notice did not specify an exact date.

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The state took the case to Atlanta-based appeals court after U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in June issued a preliminary order blocking the law from being implemented, saying it was “incorrect and not clearly.”

The legislation, passed during the 2021 legislative session, is a priority for Governor Ron DeSantis and other Republicans, who have accused social media platforms of censorship. DeSantis brought the issue to light after former President Donald Trump had Facebook and Twitter blocked after Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

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In part, the measure is intended to prevent major social media companies from banning political candidates from their platforms and will require companies to publish – and consistently apply – standards for problems like blocking users.

Industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association filed a lawsuit in May, arguing that the law would violate First Amendment rights and harm its efforts to moderate content. companies. Hinkle sided with the groups, finding that they were “likely to prevail based on their claim that these statutes violate the First Amendment.”

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