A legal battle over the constitutionality of a controversial Florida law regulating social media platforms is set to go to trial in January 2026.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle recently scheduled the trial to begin on January 5, 2026, pushing back the original date of November 2025. This case, brought by tech industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association, challenges a 2021 Florida law that imposes restrictions on how social media companies operate.
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The law, championed by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature, prohibits platforms from banning political candidates and requires them to publish and consistently apply standards for user bans and content moderation.
It was passed following the banning of Trump from social media platforms after the January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot.
Judge Hinkle initially blocked the law in 2021, citing First Amendment concerns. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld this decision in 2022.
However, the Supreme Court vacated the appeals court ruling in July 2023, sending the case back to Judge Hinkle for further consideration.
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The Supreme Court did not rule on the constitutional questions but instructed the lower courts to re-examine the case with a focus on the “facial nature” of the challenges to the law.
This case is being closely watched as it could have significant implications for the future of online speech and the power of social media companies to moderate content on their platforms.
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