The Liberty Justice Center has filed a lawsuit on behalf of social media influencer Justin Hart accusing Facebook, Twitter, and the Biden administration of colluding to censor so-called COVID-19 “misinformation.”
The Liberty Justice Center filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California on behalf of a social media influencer Justin Hart.
Hart alleges in his complaint that his Facebook and Twitter accounts were suspended multiple times for information about COVID-19 that the White House has deemed “misinformation.” Hart said, according to Reclaim The Net, that his accounts were temporarily suspended after he posted an infographic criticizing masking young children to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“It’s clear to Americans that what is said at the White House podium isn’t always true, so why do we think it’s acceptable for the government to direct social media companies to censor people on critical issues such as COVID?” Hart asked in a press release about the lawsuit.
He went on to describe just how damaging it can be for Big Tech to censor free speech:
“Until it happens to you, the average citizen probably has no idea how much excessive control Facebook, Twitter, and others have over our public dialogue. Now, the federal government is working with these companies to stamp out free speech. It’s grossly unconstitutional and it must stop.”
“The recent admission that the White House has a team of government workers flagging Americans’ social media posts for removal is extremely disturbing, and it’s illegal,” Brian Kelsey, managing attorney at the Liberty Justice Center, said, referring to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki’s confirmation that the White House keeps in “in regular touch” with Facebook and Twitter about alleged COVID-19 “misinformation.”
“Regardless of one’s politics or views about COVID, every citizen should be greatly alarmed by this melding of Big Government and Big Tech to control what you see, hear and know about one of the greatest public issues of our time,” he said.
The lawsuit included Facebook, Twitter, President Biden, the United States Surgeon General, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Management and Budget.
“We have all seen how public health authorities and medical experts have changed their views countless times regarding the threat of COVID and how to treat and control it, so the notion that the White House is now going to dictate to our largest media platforms what is communicated about the disease is dangerous and illegal,” Kelsey added. “We need more learned, independent minds and perspectives, not fewer.”
This is not the first lawsuit to challenge Big Tech on First Amendment grounds. Last month, Fox News host Tucker Carlson urged former New York Times journalist and author Alex Berenson to sue Twitter after the platform suspended his account for alleged “misinformation.”
Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech mirror the First Amendment and provide equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us at the Media Research Center contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.
