Tech industry groups seek to speed up ruling on Florida’s social media law

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TALLAHASSEE — After a ruling last week allowed Florida to begin enforcing a 2024 law designed to prevent children from having access to certain social-media sites, tech industry groups Wednesday asked a federal appeals court to quickly hear arguments about whether the law violates First Amendment rights.

The groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association filed a motion requesting that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals “expedite” oral arguments and a decision on the constitutional issue.

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in June issued a preliminary injunction to block the law (HB 3), agreeing with the industry groups that it likely violated the First Amendment. The state appealed Walker’s decision, and a panel of t