To prohibit Federal employees and contractors from directing online platforms to censor any speech that is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 20, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
The Free Speech Protection Act prohibits federal employees and contractors from directing online platforms to censor speech protected by the First Amendment. The bill prevents government officials from pressuring social media companies and other online platforms to remove posts, suspend users, label content as misinformation, or suppress speech in any way. It also bars federal agencies from sharing user data with platforms for content monitoring purposes and prohibits federal employees from entering partnerships with platforms to monitor content or secure free advertising. Violations carry steep penalties including removal from employment, civil fines of at least $10,000, loss of federal benefits, and revocation of security clearances. The bill creates a private right of action allowing individuals harmed by violations to sue federal agencies and employees in federal court for damages and attorney fees, and requires executive agencies to report all communications with platform representatives to Congress and publicly every 90 days, with exceptions only for investigations into child exploitation, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
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