Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association filed an amicus brief supporting NetChoice in its lawsuit against Colorado’s “Healthier Social Media Use by Youth Act.” CCIA, joined by the Software & Information Industry Association, pointed in its filing that the Colorado law singles out one category of expression and forces social media companies to carry warning messages defined by the State. This sort of government-compelled speech violates the First Amendment.
CCIA has previously joined NetChoice in challenging other state laws in which the government would force online companies to disseminate content.
The following can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Matt Schruers:
“Panics of this nature have accompanied nearly every new medium and technology, from comic books to video games. Social media provides parents and users more tools to manage access and the experience than any other communications technology to date. If the goal is a safer online experience, Colorado has options, but forcing expressive services to parrot Colorado’s message is not one of them. Attempts to do so infringe upon lawful free speech.”
