Federal Judge Halts Dystopian Government Censorship of Social Media Posts
Finally, a step in the right direction.
In a significant ruling, Federal Judge Terry Doughty has temporarily prohibited several Biden administration officials and federal agencies from engaging in communication with social media platforms.
The 155-page ruling states that there is substantial evidence of the government violating the First Amendment by conducting a large-scale censorship campaign targeting content that questions or counters established narratives on COVID-19.
Judge Doughty describes the evidence presented as depicting an almost dystopian scenario, asserting that if the allegations made by the plaintiffs are true, this case could involve the most massive attack against free speech in US history.
The judge criticizes the government for allegedly disregarding the First Amendment’s right to free speech and compares its actions to an Orwellian “Ministry of Truth.”
He added: “If the allegations made by Plaintiffs are true, the present case arguably involves the most massive attack against free speech in United States’ history. In their attempts to suppress alleged disinformation, the Federal Government, and particularly the Defendants named here, are alleged to have blatantly ignored the First Amendment’s right to free speech.”
The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed in May 2022 by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, along with medical experts and journalists. The plaintiffs argue that social media platforms have censored their views, which contradicted the official government narrative.
They claim that the Biden administration and federal agencies collaborated with and encouraged Big Tech companies to suppress such speech, creating a censorship-by-proxy scheme.
Children’s Health Defense (CHD) and its chairman, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are involved in a similar class action lawsuit filed in March, addressing the alleged systematic campaign of censorship by the Biden administration and the federal government. This case is pending before the same court.
The controversial ruling names several Biden administration officials and federal agencies, preventing them from communicating with social media platforms to encourage the removal or suppression of content containing protected free speech.
However, the injunction does not prohibit communication regarding criminal activities, cyber crimes, national security threats, voter suppression efforts, threats to public safety, or other content not protected by free speech.
The named agencies include the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
That’s quite the list.
Administration officials mentioned in the lawsuit include Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, HHS Director Xavier Becerra, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and employees of the DOJ and FBI.
The ruling has received widespread applause from various legal, public health, and media experts. They view it as an important step in restoring the fundamental right to free speech and preventing infringement on these rights.
Critics argue that the government’s collusion with social media platforms amounts to fascism and raises concerns about the role of academia in censoring Americans.
While the Biden administration hasn’t officially responded to the ruling, an ‘unnamed White House official’ stated that the Department of Justice will evaluate its options.
The official emphasized the administration’s view that social media platforms have the responsibility to consider the effects of their platforms on the public but should make independent choices about the information they present.
The ruling represents a significant victory for the plaintiffs, and the case is expected to continue with potential appeals and further litigation.
It joins a series of cases before the courts that have significant implications for the future of free speech in the United States and the regulation of social media platforms.
The outcomes of these cases will determine the direction of the country and its approach to issues such as censorship and information control. Lord willing, we will continue to win.
Our freedom of speech literally depends on it.
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Jamesfetzer.org
