Should the government police social media?

The Supreme Court is likely to side with Biden administration on whether the federal government is violating the first amendment by allegedly pressuring social media platforms to remove misinformation

When it comes to free speech on social media, does anything go? or should there be limits? 

The Supreme Court is deciding whether the federal government is violating the first amendment by allegedly pressuring social media platforms to remove misinformation. 

In a lawsuit, Republican-led states Missouri and Louisiana, along with a group of social media users, accused the Biden administration for influencing social media platforms to change or remove posts they think are harmful on public health, national security and elections.

The First Amendment prevents the government from censoring speech and punishing people for expressing different views. 

But the Biden administration argued that government officials are entitled to urge action from social media companies, as long as its requests are not accompanied by threats.

The outcome could impact the government's efforts to combat foreign disinformation before the November election

But oral arguments show the court seems skeptical and likely to side with the Biden administration on this one. 

Even conservative justices like Amy Comey Barrett, Brett Cavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts were skeptical of the republican effort – saying that the government routinely communicates with social media companies and that doesn’t violate the first amendment.

“Traditional everyday communications would suddenly be deemed problematic,” Kavanaugh said during the oral arguments.

A decision is expected this summer - but this is just one example of Republicans accusing tech giants of working with Democrats to silence conservative voices. 

What do you think?

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