Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association and co-plaintiff NetChoice have petitioned the Supreme Court to rule on a Texas social media law that a district court initially found unconstitutional. The brief filed today states that “HB20 infringes the core First Amendment rights of Petitioners’ members by denying them editorial control over their own websites, while forcing them to publish speech they do not wish to disseminate.”
The Texas law was barred from becoming effective as the question of whether it violates federal law makes its way through the courts. CCIA joined NetChoice in September of last year in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Texas’s social media law that would compel speech in the form of “must-carry” content rules for online 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:
“This case, involving a key Constitutional issue and split appellate court decisions, calls for Supreme Court oversight. For 200 years courts have upheld the First Amendment to protect citizens and private businesses from government compelling speech — including forcing websites to publish and disseminate speech against their will.”
“Texas’s social media law would pave the way for an internet overrun with bad actors and tie the hands of businesses trying to protect users. This law endangers internet users in the short term and democratic principles in the long term.”