Sunshine Sentinel

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called Big Tech censorship “political manipulation” and election meddling during a recent interview with Newsmax TV.

DeSantis was interviewed on “Greg Kelly Reports” regarding proposed legislation designed to keep Big Tech companies' power in check in Florida. 

"What we're doing is really providing a framework to create a social media environment, and a broader Internet environment, that was really what the original vision was," DeSantis said on the show. "You go back 10 years, you didn't have this type of censorship…”

DeSantis said someone has to take the lead and that someone is Florida.

"So, Florida has been leading on a lot of things the last couple of years,” DeSantis said on the show. “We're leading again and I think you're going to see other states follow suit.”

The legislation has three objectives: protecting the privacy of data, preventing Big Tech from interfering with elections and holding companies accountable for their bias when it comes to censorship inequality.

DeSantis said he needs to do what is right because that is what Floridians expect him to do.

"Some politicians get elected and they think their sole job is just continue to get elected, when actually you get elected to do things,” DeSantis said on the show.

DeSantis said there needs to be more Republicans showing backbone and leading.

"A lot of the speculation goes back to what you're saying: People see me out here leading and they like to see that in the Republican Party," DeSantis said on the show. "Because, quite frankly, we need more elected Republicans to show some backbone and be willing to get in there and fight, fight intelligently, but be willing to lead.”

DeSantis said Florida is doing well economically.

"Our state is doing very well compared to these other lockdown states,” DeSantis said on the show. “We continue to have people want to come here, want to invest here.”

DeSantis said Big Tech has been complicit with liberal media.

"It's more about them pushing narratives than about them reporting the facts," DeSantis said. "Nobody should have any illusions about what the agenda is with these people.”

DeSantis said liberal media does not want Republicans to do well.

"I think what I see, particularly in Washington, some of these elected Republicans do somersaults to try to please these very left-wing journalists and these outfits,” DeSantis said on the show. “Understand: They don't want Republicans to do well. They don't want us to win elections, and so stop playing their game."