California state lawmakers have passed a bill that could impose hefty fines on social media platforms for amplifying “hateful content through their algorithms.
Senate Bill 771 arrived on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk on Sept. 22 and is waiting for him to either sign it into law or veto it.
Authored by state Sen. Henry Stern, a Democrat, the legislation outlines fines of up to $1 million for intentional violations and $500,000 for reckless violations of California law that prohibits intimidation or attacks targeting “race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, or other protected characteristics.”
Under SB 771, a social media platform that boosts content that would “promote, facilitate, or contribute to conduct that violates state civil rights laws” would be liable for civil penalties beginning Jan. 1, 2027….