Judge Stops Fla. Social Media Law for Now

A federal judge froze Florida’s law regulating social media hours before it was to take effect.

U.S. District Court in Tallahassee Judge Robert Hinkle granted NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association’s motion Wednesday for preliminary injunction against the Florida law that would have taken effect Thursday.

“The legislation compels providers to host speech that violates their standards -- speech they otherwise would not host -- and forbids providers from speaking as they otherwise would,” Hinkle wrote. The signing statement of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) “and numerous remarks of legislators show rather clearly that the legislation is viewpoint-based. And parts contravene a federal statute.”

The law “was an effort to rein in social-media providers deemed too large and too liberal,” the judge said. “Balancing the exchange of ideas among private speakers is not a legitimate governmental interest. And even aside from the actual motivation for this legislation, it is plainly content-based and subject to strict scrutiny.”

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R), NetChoice and CCIA didn't comment right away.

While the case continues, Florida may not enforce the law that makes it unlawful for sites to deplatform political candidates and requires sites be transparent about policing, unless the site owns a Florida theme park. Hinkle grilled the state at Monday oral argument and slammed the law as “poorly drafted.”