Rumble Sues California; Says State's "War Against Political Speech Is Censorship"

Rumble, a video streaming site, has filed a lawsuit against the state of California over legislation that forces social media platforms to censor political speech. The lawsuit, filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, targets AB 2655, also known as the "Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024". The law was introduced by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in response to a deepfake satire video of Kamala Harris shared by Elon Musk. The legislation aims to restrict online political speech, with vague standards that punish individuals for posting political content about elections. The Alliance Defending Freedom argues that the law is censorship and restricts free speech, with Senior Counsel Phil Sechler stating that the government cannot be trusted to decide what is true in online political debates. Rumble's Chairman and CEO, Chris Pavlovski, also condemned the law, saying it is a threat to creative independence and freedom of expression. The lawsuit is seen as a pushback against the Democratic Party's efforts to enact laws that force censorship, which Hillary and Bill Clinton have acknowledged is a response to losing control over the flow of information. The case has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division. Rumble is standing up for free speech, even when it's hard, and is working with the Alliance Defending Freedom to protect lawful online expression. The outcome of the lawsuit will have significant implications for online freedom of speech and the role of government in regulating online content.