Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill Monday that will fine social media platforms that try to permanently ban political candidates.
DeSantis and other Republicans have touted the bill as a way to protect Floridians over accusations of tech giants censoring GOP lawmakers, but it faced pushback from Democrats in the state legislature and the tech industry over imposing control over how platforms moderate content. The bill prohibits most tech companies from banning politicians in the state.
Under the newly signed law, the Florida Election Commission can impose fines of $250,000 per day on any social media company that de-platforms any candidate for statewide office and $25,000 per day for de-platforming candidates for non-statewide offices.
“If Big Tech censors enforce rules inconsistently, to discriminate in favor of the dominant Silicon Valley ideology, they will now be held accountable,” DeSantis said in a statement.
The accusations have been grown louder after tech platforms’ action to permanently ban or suspend former President Donald Trump over posts he made following the insurrection at the capitol on January 6th. Ron DeDantis was asked during a press conference if the bill was in relation to former President Donald Trump being deplatformed. “The bill is for everyday Floridians, is what we said. It will allow any Floridian to be able provide what they are doing.”
DeSantis also went onto say, ”When you deplatform the President of The United States but you let Ayatollah Khomeini talk about killing Jews, that is wrong.”
