A federal judge in Louisiana has issued a significant ruling restricting certain branches of the Biden administration from communicating with social media platforms regarding content moderation.Â
The court order specifically applies to Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Judge Terry A. Doughty of the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana has blocked agencies like the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services from flagging or discussing social media posts and accounts. However, exceptions have been made for cases involving national security threats and criminal activity.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri. They alleged that government officials were colluding with social media platforms to suppress conservative voices and viewpoints. The complaint included posts related to the COVID pandemic and Hunter Biden’s laptop.
In their court filings, the attorneys general accused the government of violating the First Amendment, asserting that it was the most severe breach in the nation’s history.
A White House official responded to the ruling, saying, “The Justice Department is reviewing the court’s injunction and will evaluate its options. Our administration has always aimed to protect public health, safety, and security, particularly during challenging times like the COVID pandemic and foreign attacks on our elections. We believe social media platforms have a responsibility to consider the impact of their platforms on the American people while making independent choices about the information they present.”
Judge Doughty’s injunction found substantial evidence presented by Louisiana and Missouri, indicating a concerted effort by the defendants, from the White House to federal agencies, to suppress speech based on its content. While this injunction is a significant development, it does not represent a final ruling on the matter.
In response to the ruling, social media giant Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, declined to comment. Twitter, on the other hand, offered an interesting reaction with an automated poop emoji. As of now, Google has not responded to the court’s decision.
