Texas law could force social media to host misinformation and hate speech

Enlarge / US and Texas flags flying outside the Texas State Capitol building in Austin. (credit: Getty Images | PA Thompson)

Tx Governor Greg Abbott yesterday signed a ban on social press “censorship” into law, imposing new restrictions on tech companies that are certain to spark a court battle similar to one happening in Florida.

Industry groups slammed the newly enacted legislation as “unconstitutional. ” The law “seeks to punish social media companies for following policies that protect Internet users from dangerous content online, ” according to the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA).

The CCIA previously sued Florida to block a state law that will would have made it illegal for social media companies to ban politicians. US District Judge Robert Hinkle sided with the tech industry in June, granting a preliminary injunction that blocks the law because it violates the First Amendment rights of companies of which moderate user content on their online platforms.