The US government was acting like an “Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth,” a federal judge said
A federal judge in Louisiana has restricted some Biden administration officials from contacting social media platforms about matters of content moderation, in a move that critics say could hinder efforts to combat the spread of misinformation ahead of the 2024 US presidential election.
In a 155-page ruling released on Tuesday, Terry Doughty – a judge appointed by former US President Donald Trump – moved to limit government oversight to social media firms’ content “containing protected free speech.”
The judgement comes in response to a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who had claimed that federal government officials had conspired to silence conservative viewpoints online, under a veil of curtailing misinformation.
“Evidence produced thus far depicts an almost dystopian scenario,” Doughty said. He added…