The Biden administration has faced a legal setback in a First Amendment case related to its efforts to combat hate speech and misinformation.
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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled against the Biden White House and government agencies, asserting that they overstepped in attempting to influence social media companies' content moderation policies.
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The ruling raises questions about how the Biden administration will respond and whether it will appeal to the Supreme Court.
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White House officials were accused of pressuring social media companies regarding election information in 2020 and vaccine efficacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Judge Terry A. Doughty previously issued a preliminary injunction on July 4, preventing Biden officials from contacting social media companies.
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The recent ruling allows limited contact between the government and social media companies but restricts efforts that would coerce or significantly encourage content removal or suppression.
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The affected agencies include the White House, surgeon general's office, CDC, and FBI, while some restrictions were lifted at the State Department, DHS, and HHS.
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The 5th Circuit accused the White House of using intimidation and threats to influence social media companies' content moderation decisions.
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Legal experts see this ruling as a significant loss for President Joe Biden, and an appeal to the Supreme Court is anticipated.
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Some argue that the case highlights the challenge of balancing government communication and protecting private citizens' rights and free speech.
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