CCIA Objects as Ohio Social Media Bill Inches Forward

Ohio’s content moderation bill “conflicts with the First Amendment,” the Computer & Communications Industry Association said Tuesday as the state’s House Civil Justice Committee considered legislation at a hearing. Introduced by Republican Reps. Scott Wiggam and Al Cutrona, HB-441 would allow social media users to sue platforms for viewpoint discrimination, similar to laws passed in Texas and Florida. It lists deplatforming and other restrictions to user interaction as potential forms of censorship. There was no discussion on the bill in its fifth hearing Tuesday. The committee “has been repeatedly cautioned that its content moderation bill conflicts with the First Amendment by forcing private companies to carry speech,” said CCIA State Policy Director Alyssa Doom in an emailed statement.