Washington Post
Federal judge blocks Florida law that would penalize social media companies
US District Judge Robert Hinkle of the Northern District of Florida blocked a Florida law that would penalize social media companies for blocking a politician’s posts, a blow to conservatives’ efforts to respond to Facebook and other websites’ suspension of former president Donald Trump. The law was due to go into effect July 1, but in issuing a preliminary injunction, the judge suggested that the law would be found unconstitutional. “The plaintiffs are likely to prevail on the merits of their claim that these statutes violate the First Amendment,” Judge Hinkle wrote.
Amazon seeks recusal of FTC Chair Khan, a longtime company critic (Washington Post)
Submitted by Grace Tepper on Wed, 06/30/2021 - 12:18The battle to break up Big Tech has just begun (Washington Post)
Submitted by Robbie McBeath on Tue, 06/29/2021 - 17:40Editorial: The Library of Congress is a surprising lesson in digital government. That’s good news for democracy. (Washington Post)
Submitted by Grace Tepper on Tue, 06/29/2021 - 11:19NSA surveillance program still raises privacy concerns years after exposure (Washington Post)
Submitted by Grace Tepper on Tue, 06/29/2021 - 11:17Federal court dismisses FTC's antitrust complaint against Facebook
A district court in DC dismissed the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust complaint against Facebook, saying the agency had failed to offer enough facts to prove Facebook has monopoly power in the social media industry. The court said the FTC could file an amended complaint with more details to bolster its case, but the judge voiced outright skepticism that Facebook is a monopoly. “It is almost as if the agency expects the Court to simply nod to the conventional wisdom that Facebook is a monopolist,” District Judge James E.