{"id":201176,"date":"2023-07-05T06:18:21","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T13:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shockya.com\/news\/?p=201176"},"modified":"2023-07-05T06:18:21","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T13:18:21","slug":"federal-judge-blocks-biden-administration-from-interfering-with-free-speech-on-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shockya.com\/news\/2023\/07\/05\/federal-judge-blocks-biden-administration-from-interfering-with-free-speech-on-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administration from Interfering with Free Speech on Social Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In a significant ruling, a federal judge has issued a temporary injunction prohibiting Biden administration officials from engaging with social media platforms in an attempt to manipulate or suppress “protected speech.” The decision, originating from a lawsuit filed by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, marks a victory for advocates of free speech.<\/p>\n

Judge Terry A. Doughty, a Trump-appointed judge serving in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, has ordered several federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to refrain from pressuring or inducing social media companies <\/a>to remove or reduce content containing protected free speech. However, the ruling does not prevent these agencies from notifying platforms about crimes, national security threats, or foreign attempts to influence elections.<\/p>\n

The litigation, initiated last year, alleges collusion between the federal government and social media giants such as Twitter and Facebook to stifle freedom of speech. Judge Doughty, while not issuing a final ruling, acknowledged the plaintiffs’ evidence of a concerted effort by defendants, spanning from the White House to federal agencies, to suppress speech based on its content.<\/p>\n

In response, government attorneys argued that federal officials lack the authority to dictate the removal of content from social media platforms<\/a>. They accused GOP attorneys general of distorting communications with companies regarding public health disinformation and election conspiracies.<\/p>\n

Former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November, expressed jubilation on Twitter, hailing the injunction as a significant triumph for the First Amendment on this Independence Day. The case initially involved Missouri and Louisiana, but over the past year, additional plaintiffs who encountered issues with social media companies for spreading misinformation online were included.<\/p>\n

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Huge news in the Missouri vs. Biden case! A federal judge has told the federal government to stop using social media companies to censor ideas it doesn't like. <\/p>\n

The Biden Administration's war on free speech just took a huge hit. https:\/\/t.co\/TzmhqzDW6J<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) July 4, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n