A Florida House panel has passed legislation backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that seeks to force Big Tech companies to face consequences if they violate the privacy of Floridians and interfere with citizens’ access to candidates during an election. The first of a series of bills backed by the Republican governor was cleared by the House Appropriations Committee on March 15 in a 19–8 vote, mostly along partisan lines. Under the proposal from the Florida Legislature, technology companies that deplatform a candidate during an election will face a daily fine of $100,000 until the candidate’s access to the platform is restored. If a technology company promotes a candidate for office against another, the value of that free promotion must be recorded as a political campaign contribution enforced by the Florida Elections Commission. The legislation also will empower the state’s attorney general to bring action against Big Tech companies under Florida’s …