Utah governor Twitter-fights free speech lawyer over social media law
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Screenshot
Gov. Spencer Cox tweeted he "can't wait" for a lawsuit by a digital freedom group that calls Utah's new social media rules for minors unconstitutional.
Driving the news: Ari Cohn, a lawyer for TechFreedom, on Wednesday reposted a February letter from the group to Cox, arguing the governor shouldn't sign bills that force social media users to provide ID showing their age and, for minors, parental consent.
- Cox responded: "Can’t wait to fight this lawsuit. You are wrong, and I’m excited to prove it."
- Cohn replied, "Utah deserves better," to which Cox said, "You deserve better legal counsel," and "See you in court."
Why it matters: A lawsuit over the pending rules — Cox hadn't signed them as of Thursday but said he plans to — could be costly to Utah taxpayers.
- Cox and Utah's AG Sean Reyes have previously said attorney fees will not dissuade them in a legal campaign against social media companies as they threatened to sue over harm they say the platforms cause to kids' health.
Catch up quick: The new rules would require all social media users to submit some form of age verification and provide evidence of parental consent if they're under age 18.
- The state consumer protection office would decide which ID is acceptable and how minors would prove their parents' consent.
- All users who fail to supply age verification would lose access to their accounts.
Details: The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down less-sweeping laws in the past three decades that limit minors' access to speech via social media, the TechFreedom letter argues.
- They also pointed to privacy and security risks to users who would be required to transmit potentially sensitive documents and information online to access their accounts.
What they're saying: "Utah loses this lawsuit. Bigly. And I think Governor Cox knows this, which is why his response should have been more measured," wrote Adam Alba, a Salt Lake City attorney specializing in commercial litigation.
Of note: Cox later said his recommendation for "better legal counsel" was a "joke," but Cohn continued to criticize Cox's record on speech restrictions.
The other side: "My man!" tweeted state Sen. Dan McKay, in support of Cox's remarks.