Florida Lawmakers Move to Block State Use of Media Rating Firms

Florida lawmakers once again approved a provision in their budget to prohibit state agencies from contracting with advertising and marketing firms that track media outlets using rating systems. Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the budget into law this month.  

For the second year in a row, the legislature opted to include the language in the state budget to combat the use of media blacklists, which often target conservative news outlets. Critics say groups like NewsGuard, Ad Fontes, and the Global Disinformation Index use ratings systems that unfairly target certain viewpoints.  

The Independent Media Council applauded House Speaker Daniel Perez and state Sen. Ed Hooper for their leadership on the issue.

“Taxpayer-funded advertising should maximize public reach—not be filtered through ideological gatekeepers masquerading as neutral watchdogs,” IMC spokeswoman Christine Czernejewski said. “Florida lawmakers deserve credit for continuing to stand up against politically driven media blacklist systems that distort advertising markets and suppress viewpoints.” 

In recent years, the problem has gained more attention in both states and at the federal level. West Virginia passed this First Amendment Preservation Act this year and Congress has consistently included language in the National Defense Authorization Act prohibiting the Pentagon from working with advertising firms that use media monitors. 

“When governments and major corporations rely on ideological scoring systems to determine which voices deserve economic support, censorship inevitably follows,” Czernejewski said.  

Disclosure: Daily Signal President Rob Bluey serves as IMC treasurer in a volunteer capacity.