U.S. Supreme Court eyes 2021 Florida social media restrictions law

The U.S. Supreme Court is slated Jan. 6 to discuss whether to take up a high-profile case about a 2021 Florida law that placed restrictions on major social-media companies such as Facebook and Twitter.

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A court docket said justices are expected to consider the case during a behind-the-scenes conference. The Supreme Court receives thousands of cases a year but decides to take up only 100 to 150, according to a federal-courts website.

Florida went to the Supreme Court after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in May upheld much of a preliminary injunction against the law. The law, approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis, targeted large companies such as Facebook and Twitter over decisions to remove politicians and other users from the social-media platforms. In part, it would prevent the platforms from banning political candidates from their sites and require companies to publish --- and apply consistently --- standards about issues such as banning users or blocking their content.

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Companies could face penalties for violating restrictions. For example, companies that remove political candidates from platforms could face fines of $250,000 a day for statewide candidates and $25,000 a day for other candidates.

The industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association challenged the constitutionality of the law, and Tallahassee-based U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued a preliminary injunction blocking the measure. Hinkle described the law as “riddled with imprecision and ambiguity.”

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