Click here to view original web page at justthenews.com
The government’s sustained pressure on social media platforms to censor and report purported COVID-19 misinformation amounts to “state action” that violates the First Amendment, according to a lawsuit filed Friday on behalf of three Twitter users.
The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA), a frequent litigant against COVID-related administrative action, is representing theoretical cognitive scientist Mark Changizi, lawyer Michael Senger and stay-at-home father Daniel Kotzin.
Twitter suspended Kotzin temporarily and Senger permanently within a week of Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s March 3 request for information (RFI) on the “impact and prevalence of health misinformation in the digital information environment during the COVID-19 pandemic,” including how it affects “likelihood to vaccinate.”
The RFI not only encompasses search engines and social media but e-commerce platforms and instant messaging systems, “prompting technology companies to ramp up censorship for fear of adverse action against them,” including regulation, the suit says.
Murthy is exceeding the statutory power of his office , which lets him quarantine individuals “reasonably believed” to be infected and communicable to prevent interstate transmission, NCLA claims. It’s the same legal basis the Supreme Court ruled ineligible for the CDC’s COVID eviction moratorium .
The Department of Health and Human Services, which includes Murthy’s office, didn’t respond to requests for comment from Just the News.
The suit says the unconstitutional state action started with statements by the White House in May and HHS in July.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki implied President Biden would take antitrust actions against tech platforms if they didn’t censor vaccine misinformation, while Murthy issued an “advisory on building a healthy information environment.” The phrasing resembles that used by Chinese state media .Tech platforms will be held “accountable” for people who reject COVID vaccines and masking and use “unproven treatments,” Murthy said. They must increase monitoring of purported misinformation, crack down on “super-spreaders” and “repeat offenders,” and […]
Yes, We Need Your Help
I hate being “that guy” who asks people to donate because I think our conservative news network is so crucial, but here I am…
When I left my cushy corporate job in 2017, I did so knowing that my family would have to make sacrifices. But I couldn’t continue to watch the nation slip into oblivion and was inspired by President Trump’s willingness to fight the good fight even at his own personal expense. What I didn’t realize then is that conservative media would be so heavily attacked, canceled, and defunded that the sacrifices would be extreme.
Many in this nation are struggling right now even though we weren’t struggling just a few years ago. I’m not alone. But I wake up every morning and operate the sites we’ve been able to build because there’s really no other choice. I refuse to be beholden to Big Tech like so many other conservative news outlets, which is why you won’t see Google ads here. With that said, it’s often challenging to pay the bills and it’s even harder to expand so we can get the America First message out to a wider audience.
The economic downturn has forced me to make a plea for help. Between cancel culture, lockdowns, and diminishing ad revenue, we need financial assistance in order to continue to spread the truth. We ask all who have the means, please donate through our Giving Fuel. Your generosity is what keeps these sites running and allows us to expand our reach so the truth can get to the masses. We’ve had great success in growing but we know we can do more with your assistance.
We currently operate:
- NOQ Report
- Conservative Playlist
- Uncanceled News
- Based Underground
- Five other conservative news sites
I would even be willing to entertain investments and partnerships at this stage. I’ve turned them down in the past because editorial purity is extremely important. I’ll turn them down again if anyone wants us to start supporting RINOs or avoid “taboo” topics like voter fraud, vaccines, or transgender supremacy. But I’d talk to fellow America First patriots who want to help any (or all) of our 10 news sites. Hit me up at jdrucker (at) substack (dot) com if you’re interested.
For those who have the means and just want to help keep the mission of spreading a conservative, Christian message to the nation, please consider a generous donation.