A Big Tech group affiliated with Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Twitter reportedly wants a judge to block the new free speech bill in Florida to silence conservatives online.
According to NewsBusters, the Big Tech Group NetChoice has filed a case with the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) against Florida's top officials to block the new law that combats censorship of online companies and social media platforms.
NetChoice and CCIA alleged that the new law will discriminate against the First Amendment rights of Big Tech companies irregardless of what the said companies did the past months to conservatives such as former President Donald Trump, any one who spoke against the leftist ideology, and even Christians.
Trump blasted Big Tech for stifling free speech right and used a different platform prior to making his own online presence after the said companies banned him permanently from their platforms. While My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell had to create his own social media platform, Frank Speech (initially announced as Vocl), as an advocacy against Big Tech censorship after being himself a victim of one.
Democrats only started pushing for Big Tech censorship in March when they themselves had negative experiences with them. The White House actually followed in this effort only last month after the Facebook Oversight Board released a verdict on Trump's side for their prior censorship on him.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, after vowing in January to end censorship against conservatives, have signed Senate Bill 7072 last May 24. The bill protects Floridians against unfair treatment from Big Tech platforms and empowers them to sue the said companies running them should they violate the law. In addition, the bill also prohibits Floridian political candidates from being deplatformed by Big Tech.
"If Big Tech censors enforce rules inconsistently, to discriminate in favor of the dominant Silicon Valley ideology, they will now be held accountable," DeSantis announced regarding the bill during its signing.
NewsBusters said NetChoice and CCIA framed their lawsuit to make Big Tech look like the victim of the law DeSantis signed.
NetChoice, who says in their website that they make sure the internet is "safe for free enterprise and free expression," is a renowned Washington D.C lobbyist for Big Tech on various issues including internet governance, privacy, and content moderation.
"This is government-compelled speech. Look at some of the boycotts you saw in the past when there was abhorrent content running alongside advertisers' products," NetChoice Vice President Carl Zsabo told News4Jax in an interview.
Zsabo, who is also the General Counsel of NetChoice, was pertaining to the possibility of Big Tech companies losing income through advertisers if they can't censor their platforms, which is different from what the new law only was referring to since it goes against inconsistent censorship and unfair trade practices.
"Government can't come in and tell your network what type of news to cover, what types of stories to promote. And likewise it can't come in and tell private businesses like Facebook, YouTube, Etsy or Reddit the type of content that they have to host," Zsabo persisted.
