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July 6, 2023

U.S. Judge Restricts Biden Administration's Ability to Stem Misinformation on Social Media
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A federal judge in Louisiana has barred Biden administration officials
from asking social media companies to remove misinformation from
websites and apps. The ruling has broad ramifications for the ability of
government officials to engage with the public through popular online
forums. In a 155-page ruling handed down Tuesday, U.S. District Court
Judge Terry Doughty - a Trump appointee - issued an injunction against
federal officials and agencies contacting sites like Facebook, Twitter
and You Tube, siding with Republican attorneys general who accused
President Biden of trying to silence his critics. Judge Doughty said
several federal officials violated the First Amendment when they asked
social media companies to take down misinformation about COVID-19,
including false content about vaccines and the effectiveness of wearing
masks. The judge also accused officials of "suppressing" free speech by
battling claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. Legal
observers say the sweeping ruling could end up enjoining hundreds of
thousands of government employees from participating in online debate.


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