The #Biden admin had asked #SCOTUS to put on hold a lower-court ruling that found top ofcls likely violated the #FirstAmendment by improperly pressuring #tech cos to take down what they saw as problematic posts about #PublicHealth & #election-related #disinformation.
The importance of the issue was underscored by the court’s decision Fri to accept the case for oral argument this term, which would mean a ruling before end of June.
As is customary in emergency orders, the majority did not explain its reasoning for granting the #Biden admin’s request. But #conservative Justices Samuel #Alito, #ClarenceThomas & Neil #Gorsuch dissented from the decision not to leave the lower court order in place, calling the development “highly disturbing.”
…In asking #SCOTUS to intervene in the matter, SG Elizabeth #Prelogar wrote in a filing that the order issued by an appeals court last month would impose “unprecedented limits” on the admin’s ability to “use the bully pulpit to address matters of #public concern” & call attn to potentially #harmful#online#content.
…The #5thCircuit 3-judge appeals court panel subsequently broadened its order this month to extend to government officials w/ the #Cybersecurity & Infrastructure #Security Agency #CISA, saying those ofcls probably acted improperly in trying to coordinate w/ #SiliconValley to protect #elections from #online#hoaxes.
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