Order limiting Biden admin contacts with social networks is mostly overturned

Enlarge / President Joe Biden at the White House on September 6, 2023. (credit: Getty Images | Chip Somodevilla )

The White House and FBI likely violated the First Amendment by coercing social media platforms into moderating content and changing their moderation policies, the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also acted improperly but did not "coerce" social networks, the ruling said.

However, the appeals court threw out the majority of a controversial preliminary injunction that ordered the Biden administration to halt a wide range of communications with social media companies. The injunction issued by a US District Court judge in July was far too broad and vague and applied to too many government officials, a three-judge appeals court panel unanimously decided.

The ruling on Friday involves a case in which the states of Missouri and Louisiana and other plaintiffs sued President Biden and his administration.