Update: Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Texas Social Media Law
NEW YORK – May 19, 2022 – This week the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and nearly two dozen industry leaders jointly filed an amicus brief supporting NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association’s emergency application to prevent Texas House Bill 20 (HB20) from becoming law. IAB’s Executive Vice President for Public Policy Lartease Tiffith issued the following the statement:
“Given the threats caused by individuals, which often originate and are rapidly spread throughout the internet, American consumers now expect that platforms will undertake the necessary steps to prevent incidents before they occur. Hate speech, violence, terrorism, and other reprehensible content, has no place in Americans’ everyday lives and it likewise should have no place on the internet.
“Specifically, misinformation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic undoubtedly caused confusion, anxiety and served as a distraction to America’s ability to quickly manage and recover from its devastating effects. Americans deserve to know that the information they receive, particularly as it relates to their health, is the most up-to-date and accurate information that best serves their needs.
“In addition to the devastating effects to public safety, HB20 would severely harm the economy. Businesses large and small want to know that their advertising and marketing is reaching its intended audience without having their ads placed next to content they deem to be offensive or untrue.
“Finally, online platforms should be subject to the same policies as television and radio broadcasters. Content aired on television and radio have strict standards, which serves to both attract audiences and advertisers to those platforms. The internet, in that sense, should be no different. Platforms should be allowed to have the ability, like their counterparts, to have standards which dictate which content they allow to provide for the best user experience.
“HB20 prevents social media platforms from moderating content. If allowed to proceed, HB20 would ultimately result in more misinformation that spreads on a global scale, including speech that is clearly reprehensible and/or false. Undoubtedly, this is the opposite intended effect of this ill-conceived legislation.”
About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. Its membership comprises more than 700 leading media companies, brands, agencies, and the technology firms responsible for selling, delivering, and optimizing digital ad marketing campaigns. The trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising, while also educating brands, agencies, and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. In affiliation with the IAB Tech Lab, IAB develops technical standards and solutions. IAB is committed to professional development and elevating the knowledge, skills, expertise, and diversity of the workforce across the industry. Through the work of its public policy office in Washington, D.C., the trade association advocates for its members and promotes the value of the interactive advertising industry to legislators and policymakers. Founded in 1996, IAB is headquartered in New York City.
IAB Media Contacts
Kate Tumino / Brittany Tibaldi
212-896-1252 / 347-487-6794
[email protected]/ [email protected]
