between top Biden administration officials and social media companies about content posted to their platforms.
The Justice Department turned to the 5th Circuit for relief after it asked Doughy last week to halt his own order while it pursued an appeal. Doughty, appointed by former President Donald Trump,, and in a 13-page ruling rejected the government's assertions that his injunction swept too broadly and threatened to chill lawful conduct.
The states"are likely to prove that all of the enjoined defendants coerced, significantly encouraged, and/or jointly participated [with] social-media companies to suppress social-media posts by American citizens that expressed opinions that were anti-COVID-19 vaccines, anti-COVID-19 lockdowns, posts that delegitimized or questioned the results of the 2020 election, and other content not subject to any exception to the First Amendment," he wrote.
The order contains several carve-outs, including allowing the Biden administration to inform social media companies of posts involving criminal activity, threats to national security and public safety, and illegal efforts to suppress voting or of foreign attempts to influence elections. , the Justice Department warned that it swept too broadly and is unclear as to what conduct is allowed and who is covered.