Supreme Court Halts Order Blocking Biden Admin’s Contact With Social Media Firms

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday temporarily placed on hold a lower court ruling that blocked the Biden admin over its social media contacts.

Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court pose for their official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. (Front L–R) Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Samuel Alito and Justice Elena Kagan. (Back L–R) Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Sept. 14 temporarily placed on hold a lower court ruling that restricted federal agencies from contacting social media firms with requests to remove content while the justices consider how to handle the case.

His order froze a recent appeals court decision that found that federal officials likely violated First Amendment protections by coercing some platforms into deleting certain posts and content. A lawsuit was filed by Missouri and Louisiana last year against the Biden administration, accusing federal officials of trying to censor people with certain viewpoints.