Senators introduce bipartisan bill to fight government censorship

Article excerpt

Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden introduced the JAWBONE Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at restricting government censorship of online speech. The legislation targets federal agencies' ability to pressure social media platforms into removing content, a practice both conservatives and civil libertarians have criticized. However, the senators disagree sharply on the threat's scope: Cruz blames the Biden administration for orchestrating widespread censorship, while Wyden frames the bill as a safeguard against future government overreach by any administration. The bill would require transparency disclosures and limit government requests to remove lawful speech.