The bill amends sections 770.02 and 770.04 of the Florida Statutes to establish new provisions regarding liability for defamatory statements. It requires that if a defamatory article or broadcast is published online, it must be permanently removed from any website controlled by the publisher within a specified timeframe to limit damages to actual damages only. The bill outlines the timeframes for making corrections, apologies, or retractions based on the frequency of publication, and it specifies that failure to remove the defamatory content after receiving notice of its falsity can lead to new liability under the statute of limitations.

Additionally, the bill provides immunity for certain media outlets, including newspapers and broadcasting stations, from liability for defamatory statements made by third parties, provided they exercise due care to prevent such publications. It clarifies that the exercise of due care includes compliance with federal laws and regulations. The bill also introduces a provision that if a media outlet fails to remove a defamatory statement after being notified of its falsity, the continued presence of that statement online will be treated as a new publication, affecting the statute of limitations for any legal action. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 667 Filed: 770.02, 770.04
H 667 c1: 770.04