- The US Supreme Court blocked a Texas law that critics say would have unleashed hate speech online.
- The law would have prevented social media sites from removing content based on a user's viewpoint.
- Tech groups argued that the law would force social platforms to host hateful and extremist posts.
The US Supreme Court has blocked a controversial Texas law that critics say would have allowed hateful speech to run rampant online.
In a significant victory for social media companies, the court agreed on Tuesday to an emergency request from tech industry groups to temporarily block the law from taking effect.
Known as HB20, the law prevents social media platforms with at least 50 million monthly active users — such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter — from removing content based on users' views. It also enables Texas residents and the state of Texas to sue tech companies for issuing bans based on "political viewpoints."
The Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday means the law will remain blocked while the case moves through the 5th US Circuit of Court of Appeals, per Politico.
Tech groups have argued that the law violates the right to free speech, maintaining that the Constitution protects their right to manage platform content, the same way it protects the publication decisions of a newspaper, per NPR.
The groups, which represent companies like Google and Twitter, also argued that the law would force social media platforms to host hate speech and extremism, per the outlet.
"HB20 would compel platforms to disseminate all sorts of objectionable viewpoints, such as Russia's propaganda claiming that its invasion of Ukraine is justified, ISIS propaganda claiming that extremism is warranted, neo-Nazi or KKK screeds denying or supporting the Holocaust, and encouraging children to engage in risky or unhealthy behavior like eating disorders," the industry groups claimed in their emergency application with the court, per CNBC.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB20 in September 2021. He is one of the many voices who claim that social media companies censor conservative voices.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tried to instate a similar bill in Florida, but a judge blocked the move, saying it would violate social media companies' First Amendment rights.