Texas Senate Passes Social Media Censorship Bill

A Texas bill to ban large social media sites from censoring people or content based on the poster’s viewpoint passed the state Senate Thursday. Senators voted 18-13 for SB-12, which would allow users to sue to get back online and make the site pay their legal fees. SB-12 also would let the state attorney general sue on behalf of a user or group of users. “Social media companies are the new town square, and a small group of people from San Francisco can’t dictate free speech for the rest of us,” said sponsor Sen. Bryan Hughes (R) in a tweeted video: SB-12 “is going to get Texans back online.” The House received the bill the same day.