TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, NetChoice refiled its lawsuit with the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) to halt Florida’s law mandating an I.D. for the internet, violating free speech rights and putting its citizens at serious cybersecurity risk, CCIA & NetChoice v. Uthmeier.
“NetChoice is proud to refile this lawsuit with CCIA to satisfy the District Court’s questions about standing. We remain committed to protecting free expression, digital security and parental rights online. We’re confident that, with our updated lawsuit, the Court will halt HB 3 as our case proceeds,” said Paul Taske, NetChoice Associate Director of Litigation. “Likewise, our doors remain open to policymakers. We are eager to work together on meaningful and legal solutions that keep the internet safe and free.”
Blocking access to free, lawful speech won’t make Floridians safer; it will make them more vulnerable. In 2023 alone, ransomware attacks impacted 2.9 million American students—a 144% increase from the previous year. Minors are already key targets of identity thieves, and HB 3 would only make things worse. By forcing companies to collect and store sensitive data, HB 3 creates dangerous honeypots for cybercriminals and predators to attack and exploit. Rather than protecting Florida families, the law puts their personal information—and their rights—at greater risk.
Floridians don’t have to choose between protecting their families and preserving their constitutional rights. NetChoice will continue fighting to keep online communication in Florida safe and free, ensuring families are protected by meaningful and legal policies.
Read the updated complaint here.
Learn more about our case, CCIA & NetChoice v. Uthmeier, here.
Please contact press@netchoice.org with inquiries.
Top 5 Takeaways of CCIA & NetChoice v. Uthmeier:
- Violates First Amendment rights: HB 3 violates the First Amendment because it conditions Floridians’ right to access protected speech on whether they hand over their sensitive, personal data.
- Mandates data collection on Floridians: Under HB 3’s requirements, websites will need to collect sensitive information from their users to confirm their identities, ages, and parental status, which will make Floridians hand over their sensitive documents just to access online services.
- Risks Floridians’ cybersecurity and digital safety: Because Florida’s government is mandating that websites verify identities, this will create a honeypot of sensitive information that hackers and predators will exploit. This harms the security of all internet users, especially minors, which already suffer as prime targets for data breaches.
- Puts the government in charge of parenting: Parents and guardians are best situated to control their family’s online presence—not the government. HB 3 takes away parents’ right to determine what’s best for their children and puts the state in charge of parenting online.
- Lawmakers in Florida have less restrictive options available to help create a safer online experience: Rather than implementing violative, invasive laws that harm Floridians and their families, policymakers should empower parents with meaningful, legal solutions for online safety. Those include expanding its digital educational programs from 2023, collaborating with companies to educate parents on existing safety tools, and strengthening law enforcement’s capacity to investigate and prosecute cybercriminals, ensuring that existing laws protecting children online are fully enforced.