Gov. Ron DeSantis outlines 'Digital Bill of Rights' during West Palm Beach visit

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's governor was in Palm Beach County on Wednesday where he laid out a new "Digital Bill of Rights" that he said will protect residents from "big-tech" overreach.

Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach where he blasted social media companies and internet search engines for so-called censorship.

RELATED: South Florida residents react to DeSantis' 'Digital Bill of Rights' proposal

He said the proposal would protect Florida residents from "big tech surveillance" and the right to control personal data. It would also extend to schools and universities.

Among the items in the proposal that the governor laid out included:

• The right to have private, in-person conversations without "Big Tech" surveillance
• The right to participate in online platforms without unfair censorship
• The right to know how internet search engines "manipulate" search results
• The right to control personal data
• The right to protect children from online harms

"In terms of protecting minors and children from online harms, we're going to prevent businesses from knowingly selling or sharing a minor's consumer personal information without affirmative consent of the parent or guardian," DeSantis said.

The proposal would require Google and other large search engines operating in Florida to disclose whether they prioritize search results based on political or ideological views or monetary consideration.

DeSantis also said the "digital bill of rights" would ban the use of TikTok and other social media platforms tied to China and other "foreign countries of concern" on all government devices.

WPTV

"[China is] trying to inject as much garbage into this as possible," DeSantis said. "They're getting the data from people, creates a huge security risk to our country."

The measure would also ban access of such platforms through internet services provided by any university, public school or other government offices.

It would also prohibit any Florida state or local government employee from coordinating with a big-tech company to police or censor protecting speech.

The governor was joined by Attorney General Ashley Moody and Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass for the announcement.

"My office and I have said for years that we think big tech needs a reboot," Moody said. "We're here today to say we're gonna give them that reboot, a little tech-support Florida style, don't tread on Florida."

The proposal would have to be passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor before it could become law in Florida.