Internet Free Speech Act

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Policy Status

  • Type: Model Policy
  • Status: Draft
  • Date Introduced: December 4, 2024

Issues

  • Free Speech
  • Communications and Technology

    • Task Forces

  • Communications and Technology
  • Civil Justice

    • Tags

  • SNPS 2024

    • Summary

    The Internet Free Speech Act would adapt the Federal Election Commission’s language governing internet exemptions to online political speech to state law. This Act would ensure that that speech remains unregulated unless it is in the form of paid ads.
    Draft

    Internet Free Speech Act

    Where appropriate, amend the campaign finance law and, where necessary, the lobbying law to provide an exemption for the definition of “expenditure” or similar term as follows:

    The term “expenditure” does not include:

    any communications over the internet, except for disbursements for express advocacy communications placed or promoted for a fee on another person’s website, digital device, application, or advertising platform. A communication is promoted for a fee where a payment is made to a website, digital device, application, or advertising platform in order to increase the circulation, prominence, or availability of the communication on that website, digital device, application, or advertising platform.