Washington – The U.S. Solicitor General has responded to a Supreme Court request to weigh in on the Texas and Florida social media laws, stating that these statutes require Supreme Court review. The Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice are challenging these laws under the First Amendment, which prohibits government interference with free speech, and have obtained court orders preventing them from becoming effective.
The Supreme Court soon will deliberate on whether to hear the cases. The brief filed by Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar agrees these laws restricting social media companies’ ability to moderate content indeed raise First Amendment issues worthy of Supreme Court oversight.
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:
“We are glad to see the Solicitor General confirm the importance of the First Amendment issues raised by these state laws. This is exactly the sort of case we would expect the Supreme Court to take up, because it involves a key Constitutional issue and split appellate court decisions.
“For 200 years, courts have upheld the First Amendment to protect citizens and private businesses from government attempts to compel speech. We look forward to being heard on this matter in the Supreme Court.”