And Here I Thought The Censorship on Medium Was Bad
They can’t hold a candle to Florida
Because book banning without a review BEFORE it’s banned isn’t bad enough, a screaming headline from The Hill.
Florida bill would require bloggers to register before writing about DeSantis
A bill proposed this week by a Republican state senator in Florida would require bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), his Cabinet officers and members of the Florida legislature to register with the state.
Bloggers who receive compensation for a given online post about an elected state officer would have to register with the Florida Office of Legislative Services or the Commission on Ethics — though the requirement would not extend to the websites of newspapers or similar sites.
In my best Dana Carey voice, well isn’t that special.
I find it odd that The Hill didn’t mention, even though it is known, that it was Senator Jason Brodeur who introduced Senate Bill 1316.
For blog posts that “concern an elected member of the legislature” or “an officer of the executive branch,” monthly reports must disclose the amount of compensation received for the coverage, rounded to the nearest $10 value. -via the WFLA website
So not just DeSantis but any official in government.
Failure to file reports could lead to fines.
Is there a reward? How much are the fines? What happens if you refuse to pay?
Is there going to be a 1–800-SNITCH number manned 24/7/365 in case some Karen or Ken sees something online?
Will it be like Twitter and YouTube that once you’ve registered your blog post you get a little blue checkmark ☑ next to your byline so everyone knows you’re compliant?
I’ve been able to find out a lot of detail about this bill. How much is to be fined and under what conditions. Who has to pay. Who’s excluded (the “legitimate” MSM is who) and the like. How often they have to pay and report. The circumstances around blog posts that get paid on an ongoing basis. On and on and on. Wanna know what I didn’t see?
What if you don’t live in Florida? Can you get a PO box across the state line and then write to your heart’s content? What if I who lives 16 hours from this shitshow writes about DeSantas? Do I have to register? After all, I’m a blogger. Why only Floridians? How are they going to enforce it? Will there be a bunch of Kens and Karens scouring the internet looking for blog posts about Florida officials?
What about ghostwriters? AI-generated content?
Wanna know what else I didn’t see on any of the sites I took research from?
Why?
Why is this happening and why now? What is the point behind the whole thing?
It wasn’t until I happened upon the NY Post’s story about this brewing cesspool of violation of constitutional rights that I began to get an inkling.
“Paid bloggers are lobbyists who write instead of talk,” Brodeur told the news outlet Florida Politics, which first reported on his legislation. “They both are professional electioneers. If lobbyists have to register and report, why shouldn’t paid bloggers?”
I’ve got news for Brodeur. I’m barely an influencer. I am as well as most other bloggers a far cry from a lobbyist. What in the actual… has red tide and that multi-mile-wide seaweed bloom eaten up the last three remaining brain cells in the Florida government?
When I reread the articles I pulled up I noticed something else. This only applies to paid blogs. So if I suck at it and don’t make a dime it’s all good?
What if I am the most excellent of bloggers and decide to write pro bono?
Because that is 💯% some shit I’d do just to piss them off.
If DeSantis expects to be in this party’s nominee slot for the 2024 presidential election he needs to do something presidential now and get ahead of this.
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