In a Historic Ruling, the Supreme Court of Ohio Determines Social Media Algorithms Are Protected Free Speech Under the State Constitution
COLUMBUS, OH – In a landmark decision delivered this morning, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled 4-3 that the algorithmic content recommendation systems used by major social media platforms constitute protected speech under Article I, Section 11 of the Ohio Constitution. The case, *State of Ohio v. NetConnect, Inc.*, centered on a state law that sought to regulate the curation of user feeds, arguing that algorithms create a harmful echo chamber. The majority opinion, authored by Justice Amanda Sterling, stated that the selection and ordering of information is an inherently expressive act, shielding the companies from state-level content moderation mandates. The dissenting justices argued the ruling ignores concerns over misinformation and minors' safety, potentially setting a divisive precedent for digital governance.