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FLORIDA - A Florida Senate committee has advanced a bill that could reshape how media outlets handle online content deemed false or defamatory.
Senate Bill 752, introduced by Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee), would require newspapers, TV stations, and digital publishers to delete stories from their websites if notified that the content has been proven false in court or if credible information suggests it is inaccurate.
Currently, Florida law protects news outlets from defamation lawsuits under the “fair report privilege,” which allows for accurate reporting on official records and proceedings.
However, this bill would strip those protections if a publisher fails to remove disputed content after being informed of its inaccuracy.
Simon said the bill was inspired by a case in Miami where a man was arrested for child molestation, only to have the charges later dropped.
Despite his exoneration, media stories about the arrest remained online.
He later won a defamation lawsuit against the child’s relatives.
Critics, including the First Amendment Foundation and legal experts, argue the proposal could stifle press freedom and erase accurate records of events that are later revised.
They say acquittals or dropped charges don’t necessarily mean prior reporting was false and warn the bill opens the door to censorship.
The legislation passed the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee in a 6–3 vote and will now move to the Rules Committee.
If it passes the full Senate, it could significantly alter how news organizations manage archived digital content in Florida.