The free speech/tech wars have reached a boiling point in Texas. 

• Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill outlawing censorship on social media: Companies like Twitter and Facebook are now banned in Texas from kicking somebody off their platform over political viewpoints. It’s a response to the de-platforming of Donald Trump and other conservative figures. 

• The law has a structure similar to the state’s controversial 6-week abortion ban: Texans will be able to sue the social media giants for violating the law. The AG will also be able to sue. 

If this sounds legally squishy to you, then…

You’re probably right. Florida introduced a similar law this year. It was blocked by a judge almost immediately. That’s because the judge ruled telling private social media companies what they could and couldn’t do was “not a legitimate governmental interest.”  

The Verdict

These laws will likely keep happening in various states. As unlikely as they are to stick, they are yet another issue for Facebook, Twitter et. al.