U.S. appeals against ruling that Trump could not block Twitter followers

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters




JUNE 4, 2018 / 9:42 PM / UPDATED 9 HOURS AGO

David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Monday it would appeal against a federal judge’s ruling that President Donald Trump may not legally block Twitter users from his account on the social media platform based on their political views, according to a court filing.

Jameel Jaffer, a lawyer for the seven plaintiffs who sued, said the @realDonaldTrump account had unblocked the seven plaintiffs on Monday. “We’re pleased that the White House unblocked our clients from the President’s Twitter account but disappointed that the government intends to appeal the district court’s thoughtful and well-supported ruling,” Jaffer said in an email.

The White House did not comment immediately. A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed the plaintiffs had been unblocked.

Trump has made his Twitter account - with more than 52 million followers - an integral and controversial part of his presidency, using it to promote his agenda, announce policy and attack critics. He has blocked many critics from his account, which prevents them from directly responding to his tweets.




Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-twitter/u-s-appeals-ruling-that-trump-could-not-block-twitter-followers-idUSKCN1J1078?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&__twitter_impression=true&__twitter_impression=true

[SunSeeker]

1. The appeal should lose. It was a well-reasoned ruling.

Trump should have unblocked everyone he blocks, not just the 7 plaintiffs. Otherwise, anyone still blocked should seek a TRO against Trump.

[NewJeffCT]

2. 52 million followers

at least 1/4 to 1/3 of whom are bots.

[KPN]

7. That's all? That leaves 34-39 legit followers. Depressing thought.

[NewJeffCT]

8. there could also be

real people with multiple accounts as well.

[KPN]

9. Yeah there's that. The idiot twittler most certainly has a few thousand or so

accounts to follow himself I suppose.

[tanyev]

3. So the United States Department of Justice is appealing a Supreme Court ruling

that the President of the United States may not block citizens of the United States from his Twitter account merely because they have different political views. Do I have that right?

[BumRushDaShow]

4. They are appealing the lower court's (District Court) ruling

not the SCOTUS.

From the OP link -

U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan ruled on May 23 that comments on the president’s account, and those of other government officials, were public forums and that blocking Twitter users for their views violated their right to free speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-russia/u-s-pushes-nato-to-ready-more-forces-to-deter-russian-threat-idUSKCN1J11L4?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&__twitter_impression=true&__twitter_impression=true

This case will eventually be a slam dunk win for the original (now-unblocked) plaintiffs when it gets to the Appeals Court and the Supreme Court, because it is part of the very essence of the First Amendment, particularly as long as he has chosen to use twitter as his means of "official" communications.

[tanyev]

5. Sorry, I jumped the gun on the court.

The thing that is appalling me is dragging the Justice Department into a fight over Twitler's right to behave like a dictator.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. The only thing that might have even barely justified the DOJ's involvement

was if the circumstances were vastly different and they were truly trying to establish that the "personal account" should be treated differently from the "official account". I.e. - ASSUMING the "personal account" had been left to fallow, with an arguments justifying blocks to the personal account.

But since the "official account", although used, is barely used as much as the personal account in question, then that personal account is essentially the official one, and that puts them squarely in a lose-lose situation. I.e., a choice was made to continue to use the personal account and so it has become the defacto official one.