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Technology |
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Supreme Court punts on Texas, Florida internet laws |
The Supreme Court on Monday wiped lower court rulings regarding two state laws aimed at barring social media companies from banning users based on their political views, kicking the major First Amendment challenge down the road. |
For the majority, Justice Elena Kagan wrote that lower courts addressing the matter wrongly focused on the state challengers' contention that the laws applied only to "the curated feeds offered by the largest and most paradigmatic social-media platforms."
During arguments, platforms such as Gmail and Etsy were raised as having the potential to be caught in the crossfire of the laws. "Today, we vacate both decisions for reasons separate from the First Amendment merits, because neither Court of Appeals properly considered the facial nature of NetChoice's challenge," Kagan wrote.
The Texas and Florida laws stood to weaken companies' ability to enforce their own rules and transform free speech online. No justices dissented, though Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito wrote concurring opinions. The decision leaves intact lower court injunctions blocking the laws from going into effect.
The tech industry groups challenging the laws cheered the court's decision and pledged to continue their advocacy as the cases go back to lower courts.
"We are encouraged that a majority of the Court has made clear that the government cannot tilt public debate in its favored direction. There is nothing more Orwellian than government attempting to dictate what speech should be carried, whether it is a newspaper or a social media site," Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) President Matt Schruers said in a statement.
Chris Marchese, director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, said the ruling is a "victory of First Amendment rights online."
"As our cases head back to the lower courts for consideration, the Supreme Court agreed with all our First Amendment arguments. Free speech is a cornerstone of our republic," Marchese said in a statement. Read more in a full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, we're Rebecca Klar and Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. |
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How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: |
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Boeing said Monday that it plans to purchase Spirit AeroSystems in a $4.7 billion all-stock deal decades after it spun off the supplier. The planemaker has for years outsourced parts of its production process to the Spirit. But as Boeing seeks to rehabilitate its safety and quality record after the door plug of a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, the move would give the company more oversight … |
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| Hunter Biden has sued Fox News over a program it published and then took down from its subscriber streaming service Fox Nation. In a lawsuit filed Monday in the Supreme Court of New York, Biden’s attorneys allege Fox targeted the president’s son “in an effort to harass, annoy, alarm, and humiliate him, and tarnish his reputation.” “Far from reporting on a newsworthy event, Fox sought to commercialize … |
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The European Union said Meta's "pay or consent" advertising model for European users violates the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), according to preliminary findings released Monday. Meta launched the new ad model — which requires users to pay for ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram or consent to the use of their personal data for targeted advertising — in response to regulatory changes last year. The European … |
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(NewsNation) — The Federal Communications Commission proposed a new rule Thursday that would require carriers to make cellphones unlockable within 60 days after purchase. The move would give cellphone users "freedom to take their existing phones and switch from one mobile wireless service provider to another more easily, as long as the consumer's phone is compatible with the new provider's wireless network," the … |
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News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: |
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France to charge Nvidia with antitrust violations |
French antitrust regulators are preparing to charge the powerhouse chipmaker Nvidia for allegedly engaging in anti-competitive practices, Reuters reported. |
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Instagram swaps out 'Made with AI' label |
Instagram has changed its artificial intelligence (AI) label from "Made with AI" to "AI Info," after photographers complained that their pictures were incorrectly labeled as "Made with AI" after using editing tools like Adobe Photoshop, The Verge reported. |
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Branch out with other reads on The Hill: |
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'Lab-grown' meat maker hosts Miami tasting party as Florida ban goes into effect |
MIAMI (AP) — As Florida’s ban on “lab-grown" meat is set to go into effect next week, one manufacturer hosted a last hurrah — at least for now — with a cultivated meat-tasting party in Miami. California-based Upside Foods hosted dozens of guests Thursday evening at a rooftop reception … |
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a win for former President Trump in largely shielding former presidents from criminal prosecution for actions … Read more |
| Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) announced Monday that she will soon file impeachment articles against at least one justice on the Supreme Court … Read more |
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