SCOTUS hears free speech case on government, social media
- The case will shape how governments can communicate with social media companies
- Individuals say efforts to combat misinformation on COVID-19 resulted in censorship
- The government has worked with companies to try to crack down on false claims
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(NewsNation) — The Supreme Court will hear the first of three free speech cases Monday, which could change how the First Amendment is interpreted.
The court will hear arguments in Murthy v. Missouri, a case that could dictate how much the government can communicate with social media platforms.
Murthy v. Missouri is poised to set groundbreaking legal precedence surrounding how far the government can coerce or influence social media platforms.
The case is brought by individuals who said their social media content was targeted for censorship when the government asked companies like Facebook to combat misinformation about COVID-19, including masking and vaccine efficacy, as well as content about the integrity of the 2020 election.
The plaintiffs say the government’s threat of regulatory action against social media companies led those entities to suppress content, which they claim was a violation of their First Amendment rights.
At the heart of the issues is balancing free speech with the government’s duty to protect public health and people’s lives.
NewsNation’s Safia Samee Ali contributed to this report.