Babylon Bee sues California over censorship law

The satirical website is part of a coalition that petitioned a California federal court on Tuesday to block AB 587, a 2022 law that requires social media companies to periodically report certain content to the government, including “hate speech” and “disinformation.” The plaintiffs claim the bill is a “vehicle” for California Democrats to crack down on speech they find distasteful.

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“Those who wield power in the Golden State have been candid about their displeasure with the speech being published on social media platforms,” the lawsuit states. “California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have both expressed a desire to use state power to chill speech they do not approve of, constitutionally protected expression they refer to with derogatory labels like ‘disinformation,’ ‘hate speech,’ and ‘extremism.’”

The law enables the attorney general to fine companies for late, incomplete, or misrepresentative reports. But because the policy fails to define vague terms like “misinformation,” the plaintiffs claim it gives the attorney general similarly broad enforcement powers and enables the state to censor content.

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