Judge Terry A. Doughty has blocked certain parts of the Biden administration and certain Government agencies from contacting social media on concerns of issues of free speech. These agencies include the FBI and DHHS. The Federal Judge from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana said that the Government cannot contact social media for the purposes of “urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”
This ruling comes after a highly publicized back-and-forth with the FBI and social media companies over the Hunter Biden laptop story. There are also reports that the Government routinely contacted social media to remove certain posts that they deemed problematic. Judge Doughty’s ruling does not impact posts that are criminal in nature and require intervention from law enforcement to resolve.
SOURCES:
Federal Judge Limits Biden Officials’ Contacts With Social Media Sites – The New York Times
U.S. judge blocks Biden officials from contacts with social media companies – The Washington Post
Zuckerberg tells Rogan FBI warning prompted Biden laptop story censorship – BBC News
