Resolution in Support of State Governments Upholding Free Speech on the Internet
| Model Bill Info | |
|---|---|
| Bill Title | Resolution in Support of State Governments Upholding Free Speech on the Internet |
| Date Introduced | July 30, 2021 |
| Type | Model Resolution |
| Status | Draft |
| Task Forces | Communications and Technology |
Resolution in Support of State Governments Upholding Free Speech on the Internet
WHEREAS, free speech is an unalienable right that no government or non-governmental entity can rightfully suppress or take away from Americans, and
WHEREAS, robust and unfettered free speech is essential to a free society and the principles of democracy, and
WHEREAS, the Internet and social media platforms are a 21st century version of the public town square and have become essential and irreplaceable means by which people receive and share information, and
WHEREAS, a small number of large, multinational corporations have made a deliberate decision to enter, monetize, and exert near monopoly control over this modern American town square, and
WHEREAS, a small number of large, multinational corporations have gained sufficient control over social media platforms to sufficiently stifle political, cultural, and religious speech should they choose to do so, and
WHEREAS, a small number of large, multinational corporations have indeed chosen to exercise their domination of social media platforms to restrict Americans’ free speech based on political, cultural, and religious points of view, and
WHEREAS, Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act explicitly grants protections for Internet platforms to censor only that material that is sexually obscene or excessively violent, and
WHERAS, Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act explicitly grants the States an exemption to transact measures that do not conflict with federal law and thereby preserving our system of federalism, and
WHEREAS, Americans depend our elected representatives to uphold and defend our free speech rights,
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that American Legislative Exchange Council members support state legislatures protecting free speech on the Internet and implementing targeted, effective measures to prevent any public or private entity from censoring, blocking, or restricting free speech on the Internet or social media platforms for any reason other than sexual obscenity or excessive violence.
