Texas HB 20 is back to fight against censorship. It prohibits social media from censoring individuals’ political viewpoints and was signed by Governor Greg Abbot on September 2, 2021. Social media platforms with 50 million users monthly need to disclose public information related to managing or removing content. In addition, Texas residents can sue social media companies that censor or moderate their views. This gives the court the opportunity to listen to both sides of the coin and to play fairly on both sides. It is also a chance to come up with solutions that will better serve the people and to uphold the U.S. Constitution, not to abuse it.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the law. However, it did not provide a reason for the reinstatement of the request that was blocked last December. It was a win for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office and for the Republicans who accused social media platforms of censoring conservative views and not others. Paxton’s office stated in the tweet that the federal appeals made the right choice. In addition, the office will continue to defend HB 20 as the challenges for and against the law continue.
The organization NetChoice had filed a lawsuit against Texas HB 20 and tweeted that it was not constitutional. Attorney Chris Marchese, who represented NetChoice, planned to make an appeal again. Opponents disagreed with the outcome. They stated that the law would force social media platforms to remove hateful content and speech. Deception or misreported information would also be included. An example is the tweet about Trump encouraging Elon Musk to buy Twitter. It was false information that confused people and society about what was going on. Luckily, the tweet was not removed, and Elon Musk was able to correct the misinformation to clear his and Trump’s names.
Last fall, the judge ruled in favor of the two trade groups that represented companies such as Google and Twitter, blocking Texas HB 20. Meanwhile, the lawsuit was still going on, stating that the First Amendment protects a company’s right to moderate content. AG Paxton then filed an appeal against the judge’s decision.
By and large, Texas HB 20 gives individuals the right and freedom to speak their views without being censored on social media platforms. It is a place where people exchange, argue, and discuss ideas or alternative solutions to current world issues in a respectable manner. It is also a place where others promote hate speech or just want to bully or attack certain individuals or groups. Then again, what is considered hate speech in today’s society? Is it talking about certain global issues that do not fit the agenda of an individual or a certain group? Is it speech that promotes discrimination, violence, and immoral acts and conduct, or speech that uncovers deceiving and manipulative information? If it is, do not encourage or participate in this kind of speech. Alternatively, speech that exposes lies, deceptions, and misinformation based on accurate evidence and information is encouraged.
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