FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2021
For press inquiries only, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Attorney General Steve Marshall Files Brief in Support of Florida Free Speech Law under Assault by Big Tech
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed a brief in support of a Florida free speech law – under legal fire from Big Tech companies – that protects against online censorship.
“For daring to protect her citizens’ freedom of speech, Florida is being demonized by the giants of Big Tech, which have the gall to claim that invalidating the Sunshine State’s anti-censorship law is necessary ‘to protect Florida consumers, small businesses, and free speech,'” said Attorney General Marshall. “Big Tech’s hypocrisy knows no bounds, and I am proud to join nine other states in filing this amicus brief in defense of Florida’s law.”
Florida enacted a law in May that holds Big Tech accountable by protecting access to and participation in online platforms. The law requires tech companies to be transparent and consistent in their content policies. In response, Big Tech immediately fought back, filing suit in federal court through trade associations representing technology companies, including Facebook, Google, and Twitter. In June, the district court granted a preliminary injunction, which is now under appeal in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Alabama joined Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, and Texas in filing an amicus brief in the case, NetChoice LLC v. Moody, on September 14, 2021.
“The State of Alabama is keenly aware of the menace of Big Tech censorship, and has recently launched – along with the State of Louisiana – a ‘Social Media Censorship Complaint Form’ that allows members of the public to file a formal complaint if they have been censored on social media,” said Attorney General Marshall. “Big Tech censorship is – in a word – un-American. I ask that the public enlist in the fight to end it.”
Complaints can be filed with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office using the “Social Media Censorship Complaint Form” on its website at AlabamaAG.gov/Censored.
The attorneys general amicus brief in NetChoice LLC v. Moody can be read here.
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