WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Governor Ron DeSantis is back in Florida on his presidential campaign trail with a press conference at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, where he signed a new bill.
At the live event in Wildwood, Florida, at the Everglades Recreation Center, he enacted a digital privacy bill.
This event comes after several presidential campaigns the previous week in Iowa and New Hampshire.
He stood behind a podium with the words “Digital Bill of Rights” on the front – also the name of the new bill – and began his speech on Big Tech companies.
He spoke about censorship on social media platforms of individuals during the COVID-19 lockdowns, claiming Dr. Anthony Fauci and Big Tech were in cahoots in choosing who to censor.
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Under his presidential administration, he vowed to reel tech companies in and improve privacy and security. He wants to ban state or local employees from “colluding” with tech companies, DeSantis said during his speech, which is exactly what the newly signed bill does.
“All in all, this is a very robust series of protections for Floridians,” he said.
Before signing the “Digital Bill of Rights,” he invited three guests to speak about the supposed dangers of social media, Big Tech and how technology has progressed over the decades for the better and for worse.
The bill, S.B. 262, passed the house with only two “Nays. ”
As they wrapped up, a group crowded around DeSantis at a table on stage, where he signed the new bill into law and posed for a few photos.
It requires Google and any other large search engines to disclose whether search results are prioritized based on political ideology. The new legislation also includes the following:
- The right to control personal data, including the right to confirm, access, and delete your personal data from a social platform;
- The right to know that your personal data will not be used against you when purchasing a home, obtaining health insurance, or being hired;
- The right to know how internet search engines manipulate search results;
- The right to opt out of having personal data sold; and
- The right to protect children from personal data collection.
The “Digital Bill of Rights” will take effect July 1, 2024.
