Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association, along with its co-plaintiff NetChoice, has filed a partial motion for summary judgment in its legal challenge to Florida SB7072, the “internet must-carry” law. The motion asks for judgment in Plaintiffs’ favor and an order permanently blocking it from becoming effective.
This statute was the subject of the Supreme Court’s Moody decision in July 2024, where it held that websites and online applications deserve the same First Amendment protections as other forms of written communication. The State of Florida failed in its attempt to get the case dismissed – the district court held that CCIA has the right to challenge SB7072 in court and its legal claims should proceed to final decision. The First Amendment protects against all governmental attempts either to prohibit speech or, as SB7072 does, to force people or businesses to issue or display particular speech.
The following can be attributed to Stephanie Joyce, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, who is the Director of CCIA’s Litigation Center:
“The Supreme Court has clearly affirmed that the First Amendment protects the editorial decisions that websites make in displaying content. This Florida law deliberately interferes with those choices and it is time for the law to be invalidated and blocked permanently.”