After announcing that he would sue Facebook, Twitter, and Google in July this year, Trump finally took further action. He asked a Florida judge to force Twitter to temporarily restore his previously blocked account. At the same time, he would sue Twitter and demand Return to this social media platform permanently.According to a report by Bloomberg News on October 1, local time, former U.S. President Donald Trump filed a preliminary injunction against Twitter in the Southern District of Miami, Florida, and asked the judge to force Twitter to restore his account.
Report screenshot
Trump said that the social media company’s ban on its account was “coerced” by its political opponents in Congress.
Trump’s lawyers pointed out in relevant documents that Twitter “manipulated and controlled the political speech of this country to a certain extent, which is immeasurable and unprecedented in history, and it is extremely important to the development of democratic debates. Great danger.”
In addition, Trump also cited the Taliban in the legal documents submitted, saying that Twitter allowed the Taliban to regularly post tweets about their military victories in Afghanistan, but during his presidency, he inappropriately censored his posts and took him ‘S tweets were labeled as “misleading information”, or they were deleted directly on the grounds of “beautifying violence.”
On January 6 this year, Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Congress, which was condemned by all walks of life in the United States. Twitter on January 8 permanently banned Trump’s account on the grounds that “there is a risk of further incitement to violence”. Facebook also banned his account until 2023 before evaluating it. In addition, Trump has been suspended indefinitely from using YouTube, Snapchat and other platform accounts.
Before being banned, Trump had more than 88 million followers on Twitter, and he had always used Twitter as his social media megaphone.
After being expelled from the social media field by many platforms, Trump has never given up his attempt to return to social media and regain his right to speak.
At the end of March this year, Trump and his wife Melania Trump launched their official website (www.45Office.com), where supporters can book the two to participate in activities, submit letters and customize personalized wishes.
On May 4, Trump launched his own communication platform called “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump” (From the Desk of Donald J. Trump). The platform allows Trump to post, upload pictures and videos, and also allows users to like him and share it on social media such as Twitter and Facebook. However, users of the platform cannot reply to Trump’s posts. .
However, this communication platform was removed less than a month after it went online. Trump’s senior assistant, Jason Miller, responded at the time that the platform “will not be launched again” and “this is just an aid to the’greater efforts’ that we have already made and are doing.”
Screenshot from Trump’s communication platform website
On July 7, Trump held a press conference and announced that he would act as a representative to the American technology giants Facebook, Twitter and Google, as well as the CEO of the three companies. Grid, Dorsey and Pichai initiated a class action lawsuit.
He warned at the press conference that these tech giants, which have the power to censor and control speech, have completely lost control, “They can be used against me (speech censorship), and they can be used against anyone.”
In an interview with Fox News host Greg Gutfield last month, Trump, besides being tough and angry on social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, did not forget to call on more people to join the litigation team and become with him. The plaintiff, sued these social media giants.
American legal experts analyzed that Trump’s lawsuit against these technology giants is doomed to fail. Because, the “Freedom of Speech Protection Clause” of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution is only aimed at the government, and these social media giants, like individual citizens, are not subject to the First Constitution Amendment.
Legal experts said that by marking and banning Trump’s posts, these technology companies are not violating Trump’s constitutional rights, but are exercising their right to freedom of speech. These technology companies have the right to decide what content is allowed on their platforms. .
Twitter declined to comment on Trump’s request for a judge to force Twitter to unblock his account.
It is worth mentioning that Ned Segal, the chief financial officer of Twitter, directly denied understanding the possibility of blocking Trump’s Twitter account in an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box”. Trump campaigned again and won, and he will not be allowed to re-register for Twitter.
Siegel said, “Our policy is that when you are removed from the platform, you are removed (permanently), whether you are a commentator, CFO, or a former or current public official. Remember, Our policy is to ensure that people don’t incite violence. If someone does, we must remove them from the server and no longer be allowed to return.”
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