THE VILLAGES, Fla. (WFLA) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 262 Tuesday, creating the Digital Bill of Rights for residents in the Sunshine State. But what does that mean?
Under the new legislation, Google and other large search engines will now be required to “disclose whether they prioritize search results based on political ideology.” SB 262 also prevents government-led censorship by prohibiting state or local government employees from “colluding with Big Tech companies to censor protected speech.”
“Floridians should have the right to control their own personal data,” DeSantis said in a statement. “If a multibillion-dollar company is conspiring to take your data and sell it or use it against you, it is your right to be able to protect that data. No longer will the Big Tech oligarchs be able to commandeer your personal information and deprive you of the right to access, confirm, or delete that data as you wish.”
According to Gov. DeSantis, the Digital Bill of Rights also protects:
- The right to control your personal data, including the right to confirm, access, and delete personal data from a social platform.
- The right to know that your personal data will not be used against you when purchasing a home, obtaining health insurance, or being hired.
- The right to know how internet search engines manipulate search results.
- The right to opt out of having personal data sold.
- The right to protect children from personal data collection.
Additionally, the bill prohibits government employees from using their position to communicate with social media platforms to remove content or accounts from the platform. A government figure may not initiate, or maintain any agreements or work relationships with a social media platform for content moderation, under the bill.
To read more about the legislation, click here