DeSantis Office ‘Disappointed’ After Court’s Big Tech Law Ruling, ‘Reviewing’ Options for Appeal

May 24, 2022 Updated 9:09 A.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – A spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said they are disappointed after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that major parts of Florida’s Big Tech censorship law are “unconstitutional.”

“Our office is currently reviewing the options for appeal. We will continue to fight big tech censorship and protect the First Amendment rights of Floridians,” Spokesperson Bryan Griffin said in a statement.

The Big Tech law aims to institute legal penalties for social media companies who deplatform Floridians without reason. However, the appeals court upheld part of a lower court’s preliminary injunction against the law.

“Although the Eleventh Circuit approved some provisions of the law, we are nevertheless disappointed that the Court continues to permit censorship,” Griffin said. 

The law would allow Floridians who believe they have been wrongfully targeted to sue a company who suspends them permanently. Governor DeSantis has repeatedly called out social media companies for censoring conservative’s voices on those platforms. 

“The Court’s central holding that social media platforms are similar to newspapers and parades, rather than common carriers that transmit others’ messages, is stupefying,” Griffin said. “Floridians know differently.”

However, the court Monday said that social media companies participating in “content-moderation” constitutes “protected exercises of editorial judgment.” The court said provisions of the law would violate the First Amendment. 

The court said “the provisions of the new Florida law that restrict large platforms’ ability to engage in content moderation unconstitutionally burden that prerogative.”