California Governor Gavin Newsom, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and a potential 2028 presidential candidate, vetoed Senate Bill 771 (SB 771) on Monday. The proposed legislation aimed to impose fines on social media companies whose algorithms promoted content deemed violent or discriminatory, particularly targeting antisemitism. The bill emerged in response to perceived lax online regulations following the presidency of Donald Trump, who criticized media companies for alleged bias against conservative voices. However, Newsom expressed concerns that the bill was premature, arguing that existing civil rights laws should first be evaluated for their adequacy in addressing algorithmic violations. He emphasized the need to avoid overreach and ensure that any new measures are constitutionally sound. The veto has been welcomed by civil rights organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), who argued that the bill risked suppressing free speech, particularly among Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities. Critics of SB 771 highlighted its reliance on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which they claimed could be used to target lawful discourse on Israel and Palestine. The bill’s opponents also raised concerns about the difficulty of proving intent to cause harm through algorithms, as well as the potential for costly lawsuits and taxpayer burdens. Newsom’s decision underscores the ongoing tension between combating online hate speech and preserving constitutional freedoms.