A federal appeals court has granted a temporary stay on a judge’s injunction that barred federal officials from engaging with social media companies to censor protected speech. The decision was announced on Friday, following a previous denial of the Biden administration’s emergency request for a pause on the injunction.
The injunction, issued by Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana on July 4, prohibited the Biden administration from communicating with social media companies to influence the removal or reduction of content containing protected free speech. However, the administration sought to overturn the injunction, prompting a series of legal proceedings.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an administrative stay on the injunction “until further orders” from the court. This temporary stay will allow the panel of judges assigned to the case to consider the administration’s motion for a longer stay and deliberate on the merits of the arguments.
In his previous ruling, Judge Doughty emphasized that the injunction only restricted the administration from engaging in actions that lacked a legal basis, such as pressuring or inducing social media companies to remove or suppress protected speech. The injunction included several exceptions to accommodate legitimate concerns.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and Louisiana Attorney General Jeffrey Landry strongly criticized the administration’s attempt to halt the injunction. In a court filing on July 10, they argued that such an action would constitute a violation of the First Amendment and urged the court to uphold the injunction.
The decision by the federal appeals court marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the issue of government involvement in regulating speech on social media platforms. The ultimate outcome will have important implications for the protection of free speech rights and the relationship between the government and social media companies.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
