The US Supreme Court has blocked a law requiring social media platforms to pay a fine for removing social media posts based on the views expressed in such posts. The court banned the use of such punishment by 5 votes to 4.
The law was passed in Texas. The new rules apply to popular social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and others. Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott argued that such legislation needed to protect the right to free speech in the United States. He also accused social media of being biased towards conservatives.
NGOs, including NetChoice, the Computer and Communications Association, have spoken out against the new legislation, saying the law will force social media to leave posts that include Russian propaganda and neo-Nazi views.
Following Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, major social media platforms have introduced measures to curb the spread of false information about the war, including Twitter restricting the dissemination of information from more than 300 accounts of Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin.