Florida ‘Big Brother’ Bill Targets Bloggers
Registration, monthly reports, fines in authoritarian proposal
If you want to write about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or other elected officials, bloggers would have to register personal information with the state or pay fines, according to a recently filed bill.
Directly out of the Russian and Hungarian playbook to crack down on dissent, SB 1316 fits perfectly in the imperial ruling style of DeSantis, a likely Republican presidential candidate. He already avoids mainstream media who report on state politics.
This attack on freedom of speech may not happen, but it is an intimidation that concern anyone with an opinion. Considering recent court rulings overruling established rights and the way conservative states embrace restrictive policies, it’s wise to object now to such proposals.
GOP Rep. Jason Brodeur, the bill sponsor, told the website Florida Politics that “paid bloggers are lobbyists who write instead of talk.” Yet, he proposes more vigilance of writers than on lobbyists who often write legislation or on big donors who secretly set policy.
Under the bill, which primarily deals with government advertising in newspapers, bloggers must:
- Register with the state ethics commission or the Florida Office…
