New Orleans, La. – A panel of judges for the Federal Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will hear oral argument Monday on Texas’s appeal of a ruling against its social media law. A Texas judge previously granted a motion from the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice for a preliminary injunction on grounds that Texas’s new law is unconstitutional. The law would allow bad actors to sue social media companies for not allowing them to post material on their platforms.
CCIA has advocated for free speech online for more than 25 years. This includes the First Amendment right for private businesses to determine what material is appropriate for their communities.
The following can be attributed to CCIA President Matt Schruers, who is in New Orleans for the case:
“Digital services have a right and a commitment to their communities to take action against problematic content on their platforms. That stands whether the content is racism and abuse or anti-American extremism or foreign propaganda. Encouraging lawsuits against companies exercising their First Amendment rights would violate the Constitution and put Texans at greater risk online.”