Contentious Political Statement Made During Rally
Tech Companies Challenge Colorado's Social Media Warning Law
NetChoice, a trade group including Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) among its members, has filed a lawsuit against the state of Colorado, challenging HB 24-1136. This law requires websites to display state-approved warning messages targeting users under 18 about the negative impacts of social media use on brain development, especially after extended use periods.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Denver on August 14, 2025, argues that the law violates the First Amendment. NetChoice contends that the law compels private websites to convey a government-mandated message, thus forcing speech that the companies do not endorse.
The lawsuit seeks to have HB 24-1136 struck down, claiming that this compulsion of speech by the government is unconstitutional. NetChoice emphasises that social media platforms are protected "speech services," so forcing them to carry state-approved warnings constitutes unconstitutional compelled speech.
The lawsuit is currently active with NetChoice having filed the complaint and a motion for preliminary injunction on August 21, 2025, aiming to block enforcement of the law before it takes effect on January 1, 2026.
NetChoice suggests alternative solutions such as parental empowerment via existing parental controls, digital literacy programs, and enforcement of current laws against harmful conduct online. They contrast this with government-compelled warnings, which they argue are not the most effective or constitutional means of addressing the concerns raised by HB 24-1136.
This legal action relates to the First Amendment because the issue hinges on whether the government can mandate private companies to communicate a political or social viewpoint, which courts have traditionally found impermissible as compelled speech violates free expression rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
This lawsuit is part of the tech companies' ongoing efforts to challenge regulations that they believe infringe on their free speech rights. Similar cases have been seen in other states, with mixed court outcomes.
In summary:
- State involved: Colorado
- Law challenged: HB 24-1136 — mandatory social media warning messages for users under 18
- Core claim: Unconstitutional compelled speech violating the First Amendment
- Lawsuit filing date: August 14, 2025
- Legal status: Complaint filed, motion for preliminary injunction filed; litigation ongoing
- First Amendment issue: Government forcing private companies to speak state-approved warnings infringes free speech rights
- Alternative solutions: Parental controls, digital literacy, enforcement of existing laws
- Similar cases: Lawsuits in Ohio and Mississippi with mixed court outcomes
Users who sign up for email alerts for breaking politics news agree to the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and to receive emails from the website. The lawsuit regarding the requirement for tech companies to warn young users about the impacts of using their social media products is ongoing.
- The lawsuit filed by NetChoice against Colorado over HB 24-1136, which requires websites to display state-approved warning messages to users under 18, argues that the law violates the First Amendment by compelling private companies to convey a government-mandated message, a form of speech the companies do not endorse.
- NetChoice's legal action against Colorado's social media warning law is part of a broader struggle by tech companies to protect their free speech rights, as similar cases have been seen in other states, producing mixed court outcomes.
- The ongoing lawsuit in Colorado is just one example of the general news landscape, where dynamics of politics, court, law, policy, and legislation frequently intersect, shaping the digital era and ongoing debates about freedom of speech.
