Free Speech--California Ain't Got Time for That!

The government of California has officially crossed the Rubicon here. It is enough for legislators to signal that they want to block people from saying things which they, the state, disagrees with, but it's another thing when they adopt legislation that is designed to enforce that idea.

I don't need to get into the importance of "free speech" and why it's a good thing. We all understand this. But I'll briefly get into it anyway! The only reason to stop citizens from questioning their government--is the same reason that governments want to disarm the citizens--because the government plans on doing something horrible to the citizens, and they want to minimalize any pushback.

Likewise, when it comes to online speech--there is no reason to enact laws to limit it. There are already laws by which individuals can be held accountable for defamation, or slander; however, those laws don't protect politicians from being criticized. They also don't extend to people posting content that is accurate (something that someone said, or was documented to have said).

In comes California SB 771

There are many groups speaking out about this legislation.

This is a serious problem, and we all see where this can lead.

The Computer & Communications Industries Association is worried about this legislation.

"It’s essential that we protect users online, but SB 771 is not the right approach. By exposing platforms to vague and costly lawsuits, this bill would force services to become overly cautious and err on the side of censorship — removing far more speech than necessary and restricting legitimate conversations, all to avoid unfounded litigation. This risks undermining free expression, conflicts with federal law, and ultimately would make the online environment less open and less trustworthy. We urge the Assembly to reject this flawed measure and pursue balanced, effective solutions that will truly protect users while upholding constitutional rights and an open internet.”

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is also worried about the legislation.

Framed as a civil rights safeguard, SB 771 could enable politically motivated claims that conflate criticism of Zionism with antisemitism — a trend already visible in Meta’s content moderation policies, where “Zionist” is treated as interchangeable with “Jewish,” and in the push for platforms to adopt the controversial international Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This definition has been widely criticized by hundreds of scholars and numerous Jewish organizations (including JVP and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice) for erasing the line between political critique and bigotry, raising serious concerns that SB771 could be used to suppress protected speech about apartheid, occupation, and settler colonialism in Palestine.

ADC condemns all forms of hate and stands firmly against discrimination in every form. SB 771 weaponizes civil liability to force platforms to remove content that challenges dominant narratives, particularly those relating to Israel and Palestine. By encouraging platforms to over-police content to avoid costly lawsuits, SB 771 can trigger a de facto “delete policy” — especially for Palestinian voices and those in solidarity with them.

As you can see, there's a wide ranging difference of opinion here--but they all agree that SB 771 is a bad idea.

Freedom of Speech at It's Core

You can't rally a cause, or a movement without free speech--that's a fact--this is indisputable.

Language connects us all (more than it divides us) and limiting the free and open sharing of information, by language or speech restrictions is against "collective humanity" as a whole--regardless of what religion you subscribe to.

Having a national language falls outside of these bounds, as it's not a limitation, a national language is required for proper legal and judicial review. Words mean things, and laws have to be based on those words, not "feels," not "potential interpretations," but what those words actually relate to in the physical world.

So, Where is This Legislation Now?

Let's take a peek.

This legislation is likely to pass.

Prepare yourself if you live in California--you're about to be effectively removed from the political process--act accordingly.

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