Judge limits how Biden officials can communicate with social media companies

In response to a lawsuit filed by the Republican attorneys general of Louisiana and Missouri, a federal judge on Tuesday severely limited how U.S. government officials can meet and communicate with social media companies, The Washington Post reported.

The attorneys general claimed that officials from Biden administration agencies encouraged social media companies to crack down on misinformation related to Covid-19 and elections, which amounted to "the most egregious violations of the First Amendment in the history of the United States of America."

Judge Terry A. Doughty, a Trump appointee, wrote in the injunction that the attorneys general "have produced evidence of a massive effort by defendants, from the White House to federal agencies, to suppress speech based on its content." Doughty has not made a final ruling in the case, and his order allows for communications regarding national security threats and criminal activity.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up