WASHINGTON (SBG) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 20 last week, making it illegal for social media companies to ban users based on their political viewpoints. But experts say the anti-censorship law is likely to run afoul of First Amendment protections.
The Texas law would require Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and any platform with over 50 million monthly U.S. users, to offer a rigorous system for users to challenge decisions to suspend their accounts or block their content. It would also give users legal recourse to have their accounts reinstated.
Companies that take action against accounts or posts would have to explain to users why content or an account was removed and allow users to appeal the decision. If a user proves a platform violated the law by engaging in political discrimination, the company would be held in contempt and subject to penalties, including a $25,000 in fines for every day a user or their content is blocked.
Additionally, social media companies would have to comply with higher transparency standards. Platforms would have to explain to users how they curate content, moderate inappropriate posts and how they use algorithms, search and ranking to determine what users see. Companies would also have to submit biannual reports to the state documenting how often an action was taken against an account or post and whether it was flagged by a user, an employee or an algorithm.
The law came in response to longstanding Republican claims of...
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