Leave It to Florida Republicans to Make Tech Bros Look Like the Good Guys

Well, well, well, if it isn’t Republicans being Constitution-misunderstanding commies yet again: Big tech is suing the state of Florida for trying to fine social media platforms that permanently ban political candidates, arguing the state’s pretty transparent push for “free speech” actually infringes on the constitutional rights of giant corporations, rights many Republicans have been saying for decades are among the most important in the land.

According to The Hill, two tech trade organizations called NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association say via lawsuit that a recently-signed Florida law imposing fines on social media companies that “de-platform candidates” is some bullshit:

“‘Rather than preventing what it calls ‘censorship,’ the Act does the exact opposite: it empowers government officials in Florida to police the protected editorial judgment of online businesses that the State disfavors and whose perceived political viewpoints it wishes to punish,’ the complaint states.”

The law states that the Florida Election Commission may fine social media platforms $250,000 a day for banning statewide candidates and $25,000 a day for national candidates. In addition to sounding ridiculous and impossible to enforce, the law also, of course, means more white supremacists and conspiracy theorists and whatnot can keep their untrue and violence-inducing posts on the platforms simply by running for public office.

“The bill also faced pushback from Democrats in the state legislature, and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) deemed it an ‘invitation for extremists, racists and liars to register as political candidates just to keep their posts online.’”

However, since the law was in part triggered by the permanent ban against one extremist, racist, lying public official in particular, it’s obvious that protecting the right of others to hoodwink the nation’s gullible racists out of their vote was the entire point in the first place.

Also, fuck Republicans even more for forcing me to side with tech bros. First baseball, then Liz Cheney, and now this? Stop putting nuance in my dislike. I dislike it.