Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has extended a temporary stay until September 27th, blocking a lower court’s ruling restricting federal agencies from contacting social media firms with content removal requests.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is at the forefront of the case, accused by critics of collaborating with government efforts to stifle open discourse on public health issues like COVID-19.
This action follows Justice Alito’s initial hold on the July 4th ruling of the U.S. District Judge, Terry Doughty of Louisiana, which was set to expire on September 22nd. Doughty’s order prevented various federal agencies from pressuring social media companies.
Missouri and Louisiana’s attorneys general filed the lawsuit, alleging that the Biden administration coerced platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube into suppressing dissenting voices under the guise of combating misinformation. Concerns regarding freedom of speech loom large as the case unfolds.
Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell
