Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he would support legislation to shift the balance of power to consumers in the state and away from Big Tech.
DeSantis, a Republican, spoke at a press conference in Tallahassee and announced that he and Florida House leaders would draft a bill (HB 969) that would give consumers the right to demand information about how companies use their data, so they may in part “retain their privacy.”
“Today we are taking another important step to hold Big Tech accountable and shift the balance of power back to consumers with the introduction of legislation to increase the privacy and security of data in FL,” DeSantis wrote on Twitter.
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Earlier this month, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers announced a proposal to punish Big Tech companies – Facebook, Twitter, Google, Apple and Amazon – accusing them of silencing the free speech of conservatives.
“We have seen the power of their censorship over individuals and organizations, including what I believe is a clear view of discrimination,” DeSantis was quoted as saying by the Tampa Bay Times. ‘According to our proposal, if a technology company removes a candidate from platform for an elected office in Florida during the election, a company will face a daily fine of $ 100,000 until the candidate regains access to the platform. . ‘
The move came after former President Donald Trump was removed from social media after the deadly riot at the US Capitol on January 6.
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“Floridians do not have to give up their most intimate information to use a mobile device, surf the Internet or connect with friends and family on social media. The status quo was a one-way street with Big Tech, and we can.” ‘t let it go on any longer,’ DeSantis said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis answers questions at a news conference on the extensive deployment of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine at Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital in Longwood, Fla. On January 4, 2021. (Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel via AP , File)
Rep Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota sponsored the bill. She said that if the legislation becomes law, consumers will have the right to find out what data companies collect and sue if rules are violated, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
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The state could also sue companies under the bill if it believes it is “in the public interest”.