Author of AB 587 Statement on Twitter’s Legal Challenge to Landmark Transparency Measure

SACRAMENTO, CA — Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, author of Assembly Bill (AB) 587, issued the following statement on X, the company formerly known as Twitter, challenging the bill in court:

“Assembly Bill 587 is a pure transparency measure that simply requires companies to be upfront about if and how they are moderating content. It in no way requires any specific content moderation policies – which is why it passed with strong, bipartisan support,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel. “If Twitter has nothing to hide, then they should have no objection to this bill.”

AB 587 was first introduced in 2021, but took nearly two years to pass in the face of fierce opposition from major social media companies. The bill ultimately secured bipartisan support and passed the Legislature after an intense grassroots lobbying effort by more than 80 civil rights and civic organizations.