Report: State Department cancels meetings on Facebook following court order

Following a recent court ruling that placed limitations on the Biden administration’s communication with social media companies, the State Department has decided to cancel its scheduled meeting with Facebook officials. The Washington Post reports that these monthly meetings, along with any future ones, have been put on hold pending further guidance in light of the federal judge’s decision in Louisiana. The agenda for the meeting was expected to cover election preparations for 2024 as well as discussing hacking threats.

The State Department, Facebook, and other social media companies have yet to respond to requests for comment from The Hill. This ruling was made by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, who was appointed by former President Trump. According to the ruling, Biden administration officials are prohibited from contacting social media companies regarding the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech. This ruling poses a setback for the administration’s efforts to combat disinformation online.

The ruling came about as a result of allegations made by two Republican attorneys general, who claimed that federal officials were engaging in collusion and coordination with social media platforms to target certain speakers, viewpoints, and content. They argued that the administration was carrying out a campaign of censorship. As a result, various federal agencies, including the State Department, FBI, DOJ, Department of Health and Human Services, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were directed to halt all relevant communications with social media companies.

The Justice Department has filed a notice of appeal and intends to request a stay of the district court’s decision without delay.