Gavin Newsom vetoes legislation that critics say would have created a digital surveillance regime

Free-speech activists praised a veto from Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom of a law that would have fined social media companies for controversial speech made on their platforms.

The Democrat-controlled state legislature passed Senate Bill 771 in the hope of giving the state the power to punish speech it deemed offensive or hateful. Critics warned that the law would lead to the state infringing on free-speech rights.

'Our first step should be to determine if, and to what extent, existing civil rights laws are sufficient to address violations perpetrated through algorithms.'

On Tuesday, Newsom said the law was premature in his veto announcement.

"I am returning Senate Bill 771 without my signature. This bill seeks to hold social media platforms liable for algorithms that relay