US Judge limits Biden officials’ interaction with social media companies.

U.S. Federal Judge Restricts Biden Administration’s Communication with Social Media Companies

By Kanishka Singh

A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday issued an injunction that limits certain agencies and officials of the Biden administration from engaging with social media companies to moderate their content, according to a court filing.

The injunction was a response to a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri. They alleged that government officials had overstepped their boundaries in pressuring social media platforms to address posts that could contribute to vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or disrupt elections.

The ruling states that government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI are prohibited from communicating with social media companies in a way that infringes on protected free speech under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

A White House official mentioned that the Justice Department is currently reviewing the order and considering its options.

The lawsuit was originally filed by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. Schmitt, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November, expressed his support for the injunction on Twitter, hailing it as a victory for free speech.

The order specifically names officials such as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Jen Easterly, who heads the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in its restrictions.

Judge Terry Doughty, in an order filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, made exceptions for communications between government officials and social media companies regarding national security risks and criminal activity.

The Washington Post was the first to report on the injunction.

This order represents a win for Republicans who had sued the Biden administration, accusing it of using the COVID-19 health crisis and the threat of misinformation as an excuse to suppress dissenting views.

U.S. officials have stated that their aim is to combat misinformation about COVID vaccines in order to prevent unnecessary deaths.

Facebook, Instagram (owned by Meta Platforms), Twitter, and Alphabet’s YouTube did not respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Alistair Bell, Heather Timmons and Bill Berkrot)

with Joshua Coleman

with Ryan Helfenbein

with Tom Maoli

with A.J. Hurley

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