Press Releases

(Sacramento, CA) –  Legislation by Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) to protect free speech over the Internet from the threat of harassing litigation passed the Senate Judiciary Committee today.  The measure, Assembly Bill 2433, would provide Internet users who speak out on websites hosted in California with safeguards against out-of-state litigants who use abusive tactics in an effort to chill or punish free speech.  The measure is an important protection for robust free expression and anonymous communication on California-based Internet sites like Google and Yahoo.  The measure passed the committee on a party-line vote of 3-1.

“One of the key roles of our government is to ensure that fundamental rights are protected, regardless of the technology or the medium used to assert them,” said Krekorian of the bill’s passage.  “As greater numbers of Californians are turning to the Internet to speak out on controversial issues, their freedom to express themselves anonymously must be protected from powerful parties who threaten and use oppressive litigation tactics to stifle criticism and dissenting views.” 

AB 2433 is jointly sponsored by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the California Anti-SLAPP Project.  It would allow anonymous Internet users who are targeted by a lawsuit because of their protected speech to block enforcement in California of any out-of-state subpoena that would force a web host or Internet service provider to divulge the identity of an anonymous speaker.  The bill will next be considered by the full California State Senate.

Click here for more information about AB 2433.   To contact your State Senator and offer your views about the legislation, please click here.  You may identify your Senator here.