New TN Bill Calls For Study Of Social Media Deplatforming

Photo Credit: capitol.tn.gov & Public Domain

The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

A new bill filed for introduction in the House and Senate calls for a study to be performed in the Tennessee Legislature on social media deplatforming.

House Bill 2124 (HB2124) filed for introduction by Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill) on January 31st would require the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to perform a study on social media de-platforming and to report its findings on or before January 1st, 2023.  

The bill would amend Tennessee code TCA Title 4; Title 47 and Title 65.

HB2124’s companion bill, Senate Bill 2093 (SB2093) was also filed for introduction on January 31st by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon).

The bill’s text acknowledges that the General Assembly finds that Tennesseans increasingly rely on social media platforms to express their opinions on a number of issues and that said platforms unfairly censor, ban, deplatform, or apply post-prioritization algorithms to political candidates.  The bill goes on to state that the General Assembly has a substantial interest in protecting its residents from such actions by social media platforms.

The bill orders that the TACIR is to perform a study on social media de-platforming that has occurred in this state and other states. The study must include, at a minimum, a review of approaches taken by other states to address social media de-platforming and a list of legal or fiscal issues resulting from pursuing those approaches. 

The bill also would require all appropriate state departments and agencies to provide assistance to the TACIR, as needed.  

This bill follows House Bill 1771, introduced last week by Representative Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro), which seeks to designate social media platforms as common carriers and prescribe fines for deplatforming and shadow-banning users based on political ideologies, viewpoints or personal opinions.

HB1771 has currently been assigned to the House Business and Utilities subcommittee but has not yet been placed on their calendar for discussion.

A recent survey performed by The Tennessee Conservative produced results that clearly show that Conservative Republicans in Tennessee want legislators to take action against Social Media Censorship.

The date collected shows:

• 99.1% of Respondents feel that Social Media Censorship will hurt Conservative and Republican candidates in upcoming elections.

• 81.68% of Respondents have personally experienced Social Media Censorship when expressing Conservative views on election-related topics online.

• 98.04% of Respondents feel that social media platforms should not be allowed to censor news outlets reporting on election-related stories in Tennessee.

• 98.86% of Respondents believe that the General Assembly should draft, pass and enforce laws against Social Media Censorship in Tennessee.

• 95.57% of Respondents were Republican Primary voters.

This data has been sent to all current appropriate parties in the Tennessee legislature and we will continue to send this data to additional members as subcommittees are chosen to review any Social Media Censorship bills that are presented.

About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative  ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Directory for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com