5th Circuit blocks Texas law requiring websites to filter "harmful" speech
Age verification is okay, but filtering is preempted by Section 230, judges find.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down a Texas law that mandates websites and online applications to filter "harmful" speech for minors. The law, known as the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE Act), aimed to prevent minors from accessing potentially harmful content. Big Tech lobby groups CCIA and NetChoice contested the law, arguing that it violates Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act of 1996.
The Supreme Court landmark ruling safeguards internet service providers from legal liability for user-generated content. The 2-1 ruling in favor of the tech groups grants them a preliminary injunction, which prevents Texas from enforcing the monitoring and filtering rules. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the decision to the Fifth Circuit but was unsuccessful in reversing the injunction.
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