Federal Judge Blocks Key Provisions of Texas SCOPE Law

A federal judge has temporarily blocked significant portions of Texas's Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, ruling that the law likely violates minors' First Amendment rights. Judge Robert Pitman expressed concerns about the law's monitoring and filtering requirements, targeted advertising restrictions, and vague provisions that limit minors' access to information online. The SCOPE Act mandates social media platforms to verify user ages and restrict access to content deemed harmful, but Pitman stated that Texas has not provided a compelling interest for such broad censorship. The ruling follows a lawsuit led by Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, which argued that the law inhibits free speech and democratic exchange. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has appealed the decision, maintaining that the law aims to protect minors from harmful online content. The ruling has been hailed by advocates for free expression as a significant victory against government censorship.