WASHINGTON—Today, Sens. Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden introduced the JAWBONE Act, a bipartisan effort to combat government coercion of online speech. NetChoice welcomes this critical legislation, which takes concrete steps to protect the First Amendment rights of online platforms, broadcasters, and artificial intelligence developers.
“For years, the NetChoice doctrine has established that private platforms possess a clear First Amendment right to independent editorial discretion,” said Zach Lilly, Director of Government Affairs. “The JAWBONE Act takes concrete, necessary steps to shield digital services from illegal government coercion and backchannel bullying.”
“This bill gives platforms and everyday Americans a real avenue to vindicate their constitutional rights in court when overreaching bureaucrats violate them,” continued Lilly. “This protection is especially critical in the era of AI, where consumers must be able to use AI services to access important information completely independent of state control. NetChoice applauds this bipartisan effort to safeguard free expression and free enterprise online.”
By providing a framework to distinguish between legitimate dialogue and unconstitutional coercion, the JAWBONE Act ensures that law enforcement can continue to work with platforms to protect consumers while empowering those same platforms and citizens when the government oversteps its bounds and violates the First Amendment. NetChoice applauds the JAWBONE Act and encourages the Senate to swiftly advance it.