US Judge Blocks New York’s Social Media Law Targeting Hate Speech, Cites First Amendment Concerns

A federal judge recently issued a preliminary injunction against a New York state law that implicates hate speech, saying it violates Americans’ constitutionally-protected First Amendment rights.
New York General Business Law Section 394-ccc, also referred to as the Hateful Conduct Law, came into effect on Dec. 3, 2022. It compels platforms to “provide and maintain mechanisms for reporting hateful conduct on their platform.” It also empowers New York’s attorney general to assess a fine of up to $1,000 per day on platforms that don’t comply.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter on Feb. 14 blocked (pdf) the law’s enforcement, pending final judgment in a lawsuit. He determined that the plaintiffs have shown a “likelihood of success” in striking down the law, based on their allegation that the law is unconstitutional under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution….