The Supreme Court will hear challenges to Texas and Florida social media laws

The Supreme Court hears a pair of cases Monday that could help define the future of the Internet.

Legal experts say they're the most important First Amendment cases in a generation. The question is whether states like Florida and Texas can force big social media platforms to carry content the platforms find hateful or objectionable.

"There is nothing more Orwellian than the government trying to dictate what viewpoints are distributed in the name of free expression," said Matt Schruers, president of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, a trade group for the social media companies that's involved in the litigation. "And that's what's at issue in this case."

The dispute intensified after the violent siege on the U.S. Capitol in 2021, when social media sites booted former President Donald Trump from their platforms, fearing his posts could provoke more unrest.

Republicans in Florida and Texas took action, signing sweeping laws that prevent the largest platforms from banning users based on their political viewpoints and require them to provide an individual explanation to users about why their posts have been edited or removed.

"Freedom of speech is under attack in Texas," declared Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott at the bill signing. "There is a dangerous movement by some social media companies to silence conservative ideas and values. This is wrong and we will not allow it in Texas."

A separate law in Florida prevents the social media platforms from rapidly changing their terms of service, and threatens huge financial penalties.

The social media companies sued, citing Supreme Court precedent that says state and federal governments cannot force people or businesses to speak. Schruers, who leads the industry