Trump faces reaction from free speech institute due to the blocking of Twitter users
President Trump, known
for his high profile and often incoherent Twitter ramblings, is now facing
backlash from a free speech institute after he blocked a number of accounts
that were critical of him. The @realDonaldTrump account has seen countless
comment wars between Trump supporters and critics over his tweets and policies.
According to
the Knight First Amendment Institute at New York's Columbia University,
blocking users violates the First Amendment's freedom of speech clause. The
group sent a letter to President Trump on Tuesday demanding he unblock the
accounts in question. As a basis for their argument, the Institute is using
previous cases based on other politicians blocking users on Facebook. They have
compared Twitter comments to the digital form of a traditional town hall.
Kicking people out who don't agree with your viewpoint undermines the
fundamentals of democracy.
If they
choose to pursue legal action against the Tweeter-In-Chief, Trump could claim
the account is for personal use only as opposed to the @POTUS official account.
The Institute said it would go after both accounts with "equal
force."
Some of
Trump's tweets have caused widespread criticism and in some cases, from both
sides of the isle. There are rumors that White House officials have
recommended he tone them down since some tweets may have legal ramifications.
Recent tweets on his travel ban may affect his defense in court as well as
overall policy.
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