Bipartisan Bill Would Allow Lawsuits Over Government Pressure on Platforms
5 verified5 unconfirmed
Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the JAWBONE Act on Thursday, a bipartisan bill aimed at combating government coercion of social media, AI, and broadcasting companies. The proposed law would create a private right of action allowing individuals to sue federal officials for attempting to pressure platforms to remove speech, regardless of whether the platform complies. It also mandates public disclosure of government communications with those companies. The bill has drawn endorsements from civil liberties groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Both senators criticized past actions by the opposing party’s administration, citing examples such as Biden-era pressure on social media over medical misinformation and Trump’s demands targeting late-night TV. Supporters argue the bill addresses a long-standing bipartisan problem of indirect censorship that has been difficult to challenge in court.
What’s verified
The JAWBONE Act was introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz and Ron Wyden on June 11, 2026.
It allows individuals to seek money damages and attorney fees from government officials who attempt to coerce social media, AI, or broadcasting companies to remove speech, even if the attempt fails.
The bill requires federal agencies to publicly disclose communications with social media, AI, and broadcast companies.
Endorsing organizations include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), and the Knight First Amendment Institute.
Both sources cite the example of FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s comments about Jimmy Kimmel as a recent instance of alleged jawboning.
Not yet confirmed
Sen. Cruz first teased the bill after Carr’s comments about Kimmel, according to a single report.
One source provides a detailed breakdown of FIRE’s explanation of current legal obstacles for jawboning victims, including the difficulty of proving government pressure and the inapplicability of 42 USC 1983 to federal officials.
The full acronym JAWBONE stands for “Justice Against Weaponized Bureaucratic Overreach to Networked Expression” according to one source.
One source references the 1963 Supreme Court case Bantam Books v. Sullivan and the 2024 case National Rifle Association v. Vullo as precedents against indirect censorship.
It is not clear whether the bill has sufficient support to pass or how courts would interpret its provisions.
Key figures
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)
Jimmy Kimmel (late-night comedian)
Brendan Carr (FCC Chair)
Greg Y. Gonzalez (FIRE legislative counsel)
Sources: The Verge, reason.com
