Anger as US state passes bill to criminalise political memes, offenders risk jail term

[Across-the-Desk]

Texas speech police will jail you for a minimum of a year if you publish a meme on social media without Texas Government approval... Clear and blatant violation of he 1st amendment.. And 106 Texas (R)s voted for this...

https://dailypost.ng/2025/04/30/anger-as-us-state-passes-bill-to-criminalise-political-memes-offenders-risk-jail-term/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ_GlRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFsbFJYMFVWTzRKZmkyb0lPAR4-Ht65iZUo9DpsS_3TgJHd4T39mX8wPO9v3EzPRGsVpcHsNuwT4RUSLmuqOQ_aem_x71DmJBYVd2nUrCj1SzrdQ

[Irish_Dem]

1. Texas can kiss my ass. This is my meme I am publishing on social media.

They are GD nazi jackasses.

[tetedur]

2. How long will it take before they are jailing people for telling the truth?

The only thing coming out of government is lies.

[DENVERPOPS]

9. Next in line

the "THOUGHT POLICE" force

[SergeStorms]

19. That line is moving quickly.

Within the next few months Trump will pull out all the stops on his fascist incursion into the United States.

Gird your loins, friends.

[DENVERPOPS]

34. Couldn't agree more SS

I have come to even be worried about Musk getting a hold of everything in our history, on sites like this one......

Everything we see, think about all done in the shadows that we don't see........................

WASF

[CrispyQ]

3. The jails will be full of "good trouble" troublemakers.

Political memes dissing & mocking Trump, cult, & spineless repubs are what my FB page is.

[LauraInLA]

4. I read this very differently -- the legislation says that if an org publishes a meme that features

made-up content, esp using AI, that they have to include approved language stating it’s a fake. For example, a video with a politician giving a made-up speech.

It’s interesting that some MAGA seem upset by this, too.

[Susan Calvin]

38. That's how I read it too.

I posted a link to the actual bill below. It's very short, so I don't think I misinterpreted it.

[Silent Type]

5. Little more to Bill. It penalizes CAMPAIGNS from posting memes as true against another candidate. In other words,

It would be a misdemeanor for some white wing Texas candidate to run ads with altered memes of say Beto O'Rourke to make him look bad, unless they disclose it as altered chit.

Think I support that. It does not appear to keep you and me from posting memes of some dumbass white wing candidate.

Would liked to have seen that law when trump was posting crud about VP Harris.

[Grins]

11. Supreme Court has already ruled it's legal to blatantly LIE in campaign ads.

About 4 or 5 years ago.

[Silent Type]

15. All the more reason for legislation like this. I know it's suspect being from Texas. But sounds like good legislation.

[Dave Bowman]

6. Jail me:

[Pisces]

7. I guess Trump will be first in line publishing fake pics of hand tattoos

[kimbutgar]

8. So if you live in another state and post and anti Texas meme then they can come and fine or arrest you!

I’d be under the jail by now just by my Facebook and Bluesky meme posts!

[Grins]

10. "Forget it, Jake. It's Texas."

Texas, the petri dish for the worst ideas in Democracy.

[drmeow]

40. Any minute now

Florida is going to say "hold my beer"

[hadEnuf]

12. We'll see if this applies to Republican Trump supporters and the rest of the Cuckoo-net.

All they have to do is say that the nutty postings are the truth and that the true ones are lies.

Then it's official.

[Martin68]

13. Absurd. Patently unconstitutional.

[Silent Type]

16. Hope it withstands court review. Campaigns should not use altered memes against another candidate. Saw too

much of that from trump in 2024. The altered ads of VP Harris were atrocious.

[Figarosmom]

14. Looks like these officials

Are part of the 54% of Americans that can only read at a 6th grade level.

[Sneederbunk]

17. Gen. Phil Sheridan said this about Texass:

"If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent Texas and live in Hell."

[wolfie001]

23. Ha ha!

Everyone raced to go there and now they can't leave. Just like Florida. Hellholes

[Susan Calvin]

18. Unless I'm missing something in the actual bill,

Or am missing some background on how it would be applied, I don't think this is as ominous as it's being made to sound. According to the bill, which is short, it only applies to political advertising that contains altered images or videos. Not people's social media posts, political advertising. I'm posting a link to the actual bill. I would welcome correction if I am wrong.

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00366I.pdf

[wolfie001]

24. Everything's a bit ramped up right now

Making repukes sweat and causing them to lose sleep should be our primary goal.

[Silent Type]

27. Lying, exaggerating, becoming like trump, is not way to do it. We don't need lies to resist trump. But it appears

some, perhaps many, Democrats -- like almost all GOPers -- think such lies are OK.

Think this is good legislation, even if I don't necessarily trust red Texas.

[wolfie001]

29. well, you do you

I will never give republicans any sympathy or understanding anymore. Done with it. Have at it.

[Silent Type]

31. I will. I'm not going to become a liar like GOPers to win an election. Too much of that chit right now, honestly.

[wolfie001]

33. Maybe a strongly written letter will make them act sanely

Like Shumer did. They'll git her done.

[LauraInLA]

36. FYI this is a bipartisan bill. This might be the only decent TX legislation I've seen in years.

[CentralBlueTexan]

20. Nothing new

Texas has become a “Christian Repug” state. I am no longer shocked or surprised by anything the leg does

[Layzeebeaver]

21. 1st amendment lawsuit in 3...2...1...

[wolfie001]

22. Don't need any text for this one

Nasty mf'er *extra text added.

[Cherokee100]

25. Get ready

Is 1984/Soylent Green, in our future?

[PortTack]

26. Law suit incoming! This won't stand

[LiberalArkie]

28. Something to remember if you rely on Social Security money and protest.

What happens to my benefits when I am in prison?

If you receive Social Security, we’ll suspend your benefits if you’re convicted of a criminal offense and sentenced to jail or prison for more than 30 continuous days. We can reinstate your benefits starting with the month following the month of your release.

So you can loose your house, your car and everything if you go to jail.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10133.pdf

[Kid Berwyn]

30. Texas: Book Burners who can't read.

Fuck Dixie.

[maxsolomon]

32. "dailypost.ng" is hyperventilating.

[SARose]

35. McDade Phela? Never heard of him

The former Speaker of the House’s name is Dade Phelan. He is from a prominent Beaumont family.

(b) A person may not, with the intent to influence an
election, knowingly cause to be published, distributed, or
broadcast political advertising that includes an image, audio
recording, or video recording of an officeholder's or candidate's
appearance, speech, or conduct that did not occur in reality,
including an image, audio recording, or video recording that has
been altered using generative artificial intelligence technology,
unless the political advertising includes a disclosure from the
person or another person on whose behalf the political advertising is published, distributed, or broadcast indicating that the image, audio recording, or video recording did not occur in reality., knowingly cause to be published, distributed, or broadcast political advertising that includes an image, audio
recording, or video recording of an officeholder's or candidate's
appearance, speech, or conduct that did not occur in reality,
including an image, audio recording, or video recording that has
been altered using generative artificial intelligence technology,
unless the political advertising includes a disclosure from the
person or another person on whose behalf the political advertising
is published, distributed, or broadcast indicating that the image,
audio recording, or video recording did not occur in reality.

Calm down with all the Texas hate, folks! This is a tempest in a teapot.

Bill Title: Relating to required disclosures on certain political advertising that contains altered media; creating a criminal offense.

Here

2025-04-30 - House - Amendment fails of adoption RV#981 (Y: 25 N: 112 NV: 2 Abs: 11) [FAIL]

It never made it out of the house. Relax!

See? All it took was less than a minute to google Texas HB 366.

Title needs to be changed on this.

[drmeow]

41. Given that Republicans

are much more likely to be guilty of this than Democrats, I suspect the Republican's didn't understand what the bill says.

[SARose]

37. This is not true - please remove

See my post #35. This bill never made it out of the Texas House.

Light and love

Rose

[xocetaceans]

39. I agree. It only took a bit of looking to see the actual bill and that it failed. One has to question the quality...

...of the "Daily Post" as a source. Their editors seemingly did not check the facts of the article. As pointed out, "McDade Phela" was similar but not "Dade Phelan", who was the bill's sponsor, and the bill failed with 25 yays, 112 nays, and 11 abstentions.

Those are two simple, but substantial, misses for such a short article.

Finally, the minimally correct text of that website's article was supplemented with the trenchant [my sarcasm] views of some random social media users' accounts.

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[SARose]

42. Phelan amended this bill and it passed

HB 366

With AI on the rise, Texas House passes bill requiring more transparency in political ads

Snip

Phelan amended the bill to ensure an individual wouldn’t be punished for altering superficial qualities of an image or video, such as the brightness, contrast or color. The legislation excludes companies, radio or TV broadcasters, commercial sign owners, computer services, and internet providers from liability. emphasis mine.

“This is nothing different than what we currently do with political advertisements,” Phelan said on the House floor Wednesday. “You have to put ’political ad paid for by,’ when you enter this political advertising arena. And all this does is tell you to add a disclosure that you are using altered media.”

The legislation is one of multiple ethics bills Phelan filed related to political advertisements after enduring a bruising primary campaign last year where his district was flooded with mailers and advertisements making false statements about him and his political record.

Snip

More

According to the article it may not pass the Senate.

Sneaky.