A United States federal judge, Terry Doughty has restricted officials and agencies in President Joe Biden’s administration from communicating with social media companies aimed at moderating their content.
In a 155-page ruling on Tuesday, Doughty barred White House officials and some government agencies from contacting firms over “content containing protected free speech”.
BBC reported that the verdict was a victory for Republicans who have accused officials of censorship, as Democrats said the platforms have failed to address misinformation.
The case was one of the most closely-watched First Amendment battles in the US courts, raising a debate over the government’s role in moderating content which it deemed to be false or harmful.
The White House said the US Department of Justice was reviewing the ruling and deciding on its next steps.
“Our consistent view remains that social media platforms have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects their platforms are having on the American people,” the White House said in a statement.
It added that platforms should “make independent choices about the information they present”.
The ruling was given after a lawsuit by the Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana alleged that US officials had mounted pressure on social media platforms to address posts on topics including Covid-19 policies and election security.
Judge Doughty, who was an appointee of former US President Donald Trump, said the plaintiffs had “presented substantial evidence in support of their claims”.
“Evidence produced thus far depicts an almost dystopian scenario,” Mr Doughty said in his ruling.
He added, “During the Covid-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterised by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’”
The ruling limited communications by government agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI.
