Florida Governor Ron DeSantis discussed a “Digital Bill of Rights” during a recent speech at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach.
Before tackling the main topic, the governor reiterated his stance on Florida’s border security and its record-breaking tourism industry.
DeSantis emphasized the significance of maintaining safety and security in the state, including his views on immigration.
DeSantis highlights concerns over social media censorship
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently addressed several issues, including border security, tourism, and social media censorship.
He referred to the so-called “Big Tech Crackdown” that took place in 2021 and cited previously passed laws in Florida aimed at combating this issue.
DeSantis pointed out that social media companies often describe themselves as not being publishers, which allows them to enjoy protected status under what is known as Section 230 liability protection from lawsuits, as stipulated by current federal telecommunications policies and statutes.
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has provided a historically strong legal shield for social media companies by providing immunity from lawsuits based on content created by their users.https://t.co/QfB35psDB6
— Bloomberg Law (@BLaw) February 16, 2023
However, recent events have revealed that these companies are not functioning as open platforms, but instead applying their rules and regulations with a biased approach that favors their own political agenda.
According to DeSantis, these rules are often applied with a “thumb on the scale” against those who hold differing political views from the companies’ leadership.
DeSantis vows to protect free speech and transparency
DeSantis also expressed his concern about social media companies “marginalizing entirely,” “banning, de-platforming,” and “shadowbanning” individuals with conservative views.
He argued that social media companies should not be allowed to unfairly silence and censor individuals with differing political views and there is a need for a level playing field in the digital sphere.
DeSantis reiterated his commitment to protecting the rights of all citizens in Florida and ensuring fair practices and transparency in social media.
DeSantis underlined the fact that legal battles related to Florida’s censorship law have reached the United States Supreme Court. Due to varying interpretations and reactions to Florida’s law, as well as a similar one from Texas, the law has become a contentious issue.
Despite this, DeSantis expressed his confidence in a favorable outcome in court, citing “huge amounts of evidence” that demonstrate how tech companies have censored people.
The governor reemphasized the necessity of combating censorship and stressed that such actions should not be allowed to persist.
JUST IN: DeSantis' Digital Bill of Rights proposal would ban state agency partnerships, "formally or informally," with social media platforms to enact censorship
"Dr. Fauci, working with Facebook and some of these others, to censor perfectly legitimate information." pic.twitter.com/z3EdPcMqw0
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) February 15, 2023
The governor also referred to a recent roundtable discussion that he held regarding censorship and the “narratives being pushed” by the “entrenched medical establishment and corporate press.”
This is related to disinformation and misinformation policies on certain websites concerning COVID-19.
DeSantis expressed his concern about censorship of views that differ from the mainstream and the need for an open exchange of ideas. He emphasized the need for transparency and fairness in the dissemination of information and opinions on all issues, including COVID-19.
