Houston-based attorney Joseph R. Larsen specializes in open government and press freedom issues and is among the critics of Texas’ so-called “censorship” law: a ban on the rights of social media networks like Twitter and Facebook to police users’ submissions. Texas authorities’ ability to enforce that new law was blocked by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in December, who decreed that “social media platforms have a First Amendment right to moderate content disseminated on their platforms.” But last week, the law was reinstated by the conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The matter remains under review now by the Supreme Court.
The Texas Observer asked Larsen what could happen if the “censorship” law takes effect.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
