Washington — As Washington marks the six month anniversary of the attack on the Capitol, former President Trump announced he has filed lawsuits against companies who blocked him for violating policies against inciting violence. Today Trump announced class action lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and several company CEOs.
The legal merits of such a lawsuit will be up to the Southern District of Florida court to decide. However last week a Northern District of Florida judge ruled that a new Florida law seeking to compel a private company to carry particular speech likely violates federal law and the First Amendment.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association is a not for profit international tech trade association whose members include Facebook, Twitter and Google and it co-filed the motion to block the Florida law. CCIA supports free speech online, which includes the right for private businesses to meet their users’ expectations about what type of material is appropriate for their community.
The following can be attributed to CCIA President Matt Schruers:
“Digital services have a right to enforce their terms of service. Frivolous class action litigation will not change the fact that users — even U.S. Presidents — have to abide by the rules they agreed to.”