State governors, senators, and representatives in red states are introducing legislation pushing back against the perceived censorship of conservatives on social media platforms. Many of the proposed legislation introduces fines for censoring users for political speech or allows users to sue social media companies if censored, or de-platformed.
On Monday, the Florida Senate approved Gov. Ron DeSantis’ bill, Transparency in Technology Act. It now goes to the House. To follow the situation, you can review this chart of bills, which we’ll update as more information becomes available.
Bill | State | Key Points | Local Article | Status |
Transparency in Technology Act | FL | The bill would allow users to sue social media companies. Companies could be fined for deplatforming a political candidate. Users can opt out of post promotion and shadow banning and political candidates cannot be promoted or shadow banned during an election. | Social media crackdown clears Florida Senate, giving Gov. Ron DeSantis one of his top priorities | Passed in Senate |
Senate Bill 383 | OK | Users can sue social media platforms if they censor political or religious speech. | Senate approves bill targeting social media censorship | Passed in Senate |
Senate Bill 12 | TX | The bill would force platforms to disclose their moderation policies, publish reports about removed content, and allow users to appeal after content is taken down. | Texas Senate approves bill to stop social media companies from banning Texans for political views | Referred to state affairs |
The Arkansas Unfair Social Media Censorship Act | AR | The bill would “combat cancel culture” and perceived censorship of conservative voices. | Arkansas Bill Addresses “Unfair” Social Media Censorship | Withdrawn by author |
Anti-Censorship Act | AL | “The bill would withdraw state tax abatements and other economic incentives from websites and social media companies that censor the speech of their users.” | Alabama Legislature to consider bill penalizing social media companies that censor speech | Introduced |
Senate File 580 | IA | The bill revokes tax breaks and government contracts for social media companies that restrict speech. | Iowa Senate passes bill outlawing tax breaks, contracts for tech companies that ‘censor’ speech | Passed in Senate |
The Social Media Anti-Censorship Bill (SB187) | KS | The bill would make social media companies create user agreements that don’t censor political opinion. | Social media censorship legislation proposed in Kansas | Introduced |
House Bill 1144 | ND | The bill would disallow large social media platforms from censoring speech based on race, religion, or viewpoint. | North Dakota House Approves Bill Targeting Social Media Companies for Censorship | Failed to pass |
House Bill 1223 | SD | The bill would de-platformed users to sue social media platforms | South Dakota Trailblazes With Big Tech Censorship Legislation | Died in chamber |
House Bill 3307 | WV | “The bill would prohibit censorship of West Virginia political candidates on social media platforms by the companies that control those platforms.” | House of Delegates Passes Bill Banning Social Media Platforms From Censoring Political Candidates in West Virginia | Passed in WV house of delegates |
House Bill 323 | ID | The bill would allow users to sue social media companies that censor them. | Rating – Social Media Censorship Act | Passed |
Limiting Section 230 Immunity to Good Samaritans Act | NC | The bill would allow users to sue social media companies that censor them. | Press Release on bill reintroduction | Reintroduced |
Senate Bill 228 | UT | The bill would force social media platforms to be clear about their content moderation policies and allow censored users to appeal. | Utah governor vetoes bill limiting perceived social media censorship | Vetoed by governor |
Senate File 100 – Internet freedom-prohibiting discrimination | WY | The bill would impose penalties for the censorship of certain viewpoints on social media. | Bills bring national ‘cancel culture’ v. free speech debate to Wyo | H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4 |
Legislative Bill 621 | NE | The bill would introduce fines for social media companies that censor users. | Senator seeks to fine social media giants for disabling or censoring Nebraskans’ accounts | Introduced |
Stop Social Media Censorship Act | MO | The bill bars social media platforms from censoring users and allows de-platformed users to sue. | Missouri Legislature considers social media censorship bills following national trend | In committee |
Senate Bill 196 | LA | The bill would allow users to sue after being censored for political or religious content. | Louisiana Senate committee OKs bill to sue social media companies for deleting political, religious posts | Passed in The Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs Committee |
Senate Bill 111 | KY | The bill would allow users to sue social media companies that censor them. | Kentucky bill would make social media companies liable for ‘censoring’ users | Introduced |