Federal judge blocks Biden administration’s communication with social media companies

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking Biden administration agencies and officials from communicating with social media companies about ‘protected speech.‘ It also prohibited government agencies and officials from collaborating with academic groups focused on social media. The injunction came in response to a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who claim that government officials went too far in urging social media companies to address posts related to vaccine hesitancy and election concerns. 

While the final decision is still pending, it could have significant implications for tech companies and disrupt years of coordination between the government and social media platforms on issues such as election interference and public health misinformation. The injunction has been seen as a victory for the state attorneys general and conservatives who accuse the government of suppressing free speech. 

The order also coincides with social media companies scaling back their efforts to combat disinformation. Twitter, now under Elon Musk’s ownership, has reduced its Trust and Safety division and is relying more on Community Notes, a program that uses crowdsourced fact-checking for tweets. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has also downsized its content moderation team due to financial constraints.

The lawsuit is part of a broader partisan battle over speech on social media, with Republicans targeting the government’s role in tech company moderation efforts. The Biden administration argues that its actions aim to combat disinformation and protect public health and democratic institutions.