On Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law what he claims will protect Florida residents from Silicon Valley’s “power grab” on speech and content.
Florida is the first state to hold Big Tech accountable by requiring social media platforms to publish detailed standards and to apply them fairly. Social media companies will no longer be able to hide behind vague language as to why they censored a Floridian’s post. pic.twitter.com/lt3uPK1EsI
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 25, 2021
The Florida Governor on Big Tech Accountability
DeSantis called the measure “The Big Tech Bill.” The Florida governor then said this bill would give state residents the power to fight back against censorship and de-platforming from social media.
This will also give residents the power to sue tech companies for damages amounting to up to $100,000 for each proven claim. This is on top of a proposal to assure that these big tech companies are more transparent about the content moderation practices they implement.
During a press conference on Monday, DeSantis detailed that the law will oblige companies to explain how they reached conclusions regarding content moderation. It will as well ask them to stick to these standards consistently.
Big Tech bureaucrats are not the arbiters of truth. Unaccountable oligarchs will no longer have the power to silence Floridians for challenging corporate media narratives or dissenting from the Silicon Valley orthodoxy. We the people of Florida will now hold Big Tech accountable. pic.twitter.com/tpKBZO49Gh
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 25, 2021
Actions against these tech companies can also be brought by the Florida Attorney General to violate the law; included in the violations is the de-platforming of political candidates.
The Florida Attorney General will also be able to bring action against tech companies that violate the law, which prohibits the de-platforming of political candidates as well.
DeSantis said in a statement this bill makes certain that action is taken so people of Florida all across the Sunshine State are guaranteed safeguards against the Silicon Valley elites.
The Florida Governor continued saying that if these Big Tech censors impose their rules inconsistently, discriminately favoring the ideology of the Silicon Valley, they can now be held liable.
DeSantis also emphasized that Florida would be the first state in the U.S. to implement this law.
DeSantis on Consistent Bias from Large Technology Companies
The Florida governor has been critical of what he sees as censorship from the largest technology companies. He also accused big tech platforms, such as YouTube, of attempting to push aside ideas that are against their “narrative.”
It can be noted that DeSantis said that what we are seeing is “Orwellian.” He also noted that there is corporate collusion that is happening with these big tech companies and that results are stories that are always right.
An intellectual discussion between world-renowned doctors and epidemiologists was removed by YouTube in another blatant attempt by Big Tech to silence those who disagree with their preferred political narratives. pic.twitter.com/ODjysjwQ4t
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 12, 2021
Said comments were made by the Republican governor after the YouTube censorship of a roundtable that he hosted; this censorship happened due to remarks that DeSantis made with regard to children wearing masks in school.
YouTube stated that these comments made by DeSantis contradict the consensus of global and local health authorities.
DeSantis clapped back and said that the company labels it as “misinformation” even though, according to him, YouTube and Google routinely host videos containing conspiracy theories.
He added that there is various misinformation that can be found on Google and Youtube.
