Donald Trump cannot block critical Twitter users, court rules

[GMDino]

I have to think he just hates not being a private citizen anymore.

I mean I'm sure he loves the power and that feeds his ego, but being told that he is held to different standards as the POTUS must be maddening to him.  Especially when he is told "no".

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/23/trump-cannot-block-critical-twitter-users-federal-court-rules/637454002/

Quote:A federal judge in New York ruledWednesday that President Trump may not block users from following his Twitter account because the social media platform is a “public forum” protected by the First Amendment.


A group of Twitter users sued the president in July after the @realDonaldTrump account blocked them from replying to his messages. The seven users had each tweeted a message critical of the president before they were blocked.

“Blocking of the individual plaintiffs as a result of the political views they have expressed is impermissible under the First Amendment,” Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald wrote in the decision.

“While we must recognize, and are sensitive to, the president’s personal First Amendment rights, he cannot exercise those rights in a way that infringes the corresponding First Amendment rights of those who have criticized him,” she wrote.

The White House did not immediately have a comment on the ruling.

Trump has more than 52 million followers on his @realDonaldTrump account, which has become the platform he uses most often to communicate to voters.

“The president’s practice of blocking critics on Twitter is pernicious and unconstitutional, and we hope this ruling will bring it to an end,” said Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute, which filed the suit.

[*PhilHos*]

(05-23-2018, 04:19 PM)GMDino Wrote: I have to think he just hates not being a private citizen anymore.

I mean I'm sure he loves the power and that feeds his ego, but being told that he is held to different standards as the POTUS must be maddening to him.  Especially when he is told "no".

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/23/trump-cannot-block-critical-twitter-users-federal-court-rules/637454002/

If we're talking about the Official President's twitter account, I can get onbaord with this. If we're talking about Trump's personal twitter account, this is an absolutely horrible decision, IMO.

[GMDino]

(05-23-2018, 05:35 PM)PhilHos Wrote: If we're talking about the Official President's twitter account, I can get onbaord with this. If we're talking about Trump's personal twitter account, this is an absolutely horrible decision, IMO.

The problem is he uses his personal account to make Presidential statements.

If he posted on the POTUS one solely I'd agree with you.

[SunsetBengal]

(05-23-2018, 05:52 PM)GMDino Wrote: The problem is he uses his personal account to make Presidential statements.

If he posted on the POTUS one solely I'd agree with you.

So, are you going to resume flooding his account with 479 Liberal memes per day? 

[*bfine32*]

Not sure I agree wit this ruling especially the Judge's rationale that Trump just can ignore the tweets. If someone is harassing you via social media you should absolutely be able to block them.

Now I'd have 0 problem with and absolutely support a ruling that said he cannot discuss Federal Policy on his personal account.

[GMDino]

(05-23-2018, 06:02 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So, are you going to resume flooding his account with 479 Liberal memes per day? 

I Have responded to his tweets....but I laugh at the people who post 20 straight things to him.  Whether in support or to attack him.

[fredtoast]

(05-23-2018, 06:04 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Not sure I agree wit this ruling especially the Judge's rationale that Trump just can ignore the tweets. If someone is harassing you via social media you should absolutely be able to block them.

Have not read the opinion, but I assume that if they were harassing or threatening he could block them.

[Benton]

(05-23-2018, 05:35 PM)PhilHos Wrote: If we're talking about the Official President's twitter account, I can get onbaord with this. If we're talking about Trump's personal twitter account, this is an absolutely horrible decision, IMO.

That’s my thinking, as long as there’s some separation.

Years ago I had a fiscal court that would meet every court day for breakfast. The magistrates all laid out the county billls and ordinances and whatever else and decided how they were going to vote. That violates Kentucky’s open meeting laws. I made an issue of it and they asked if why they couldn’t just “get together for breakfast.” If you’re doing business — or communicating — in taxpayer time, it’s public.

If trump is tweeting about his favorite ice cream flavor on his personal account, block whoever. If he’s tweeting presidential statements, it’s public.

[BmorePat87]

In MD, our governor blocks people off his official page. The ACLU sued and they agreed for him to have two accounts, a personal and an official. He can only block on his personal.

From what I understand, that wasn't an official court ruling though, just an agreement. He technically has an official twitter and a personal twitter. As far as I am concerned, he can block on his personal as long as he doesn't on his official.

[Benton]

(05-24-2018, 08:10 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: In MD, our governor blocks people off his official page. The ACLU sued and they agreed for him to have two accounts, a personal and an official. He can only block on his personal.

From what I understand, that wasn't an official court ruling though, just an agreement. He technically has an official twitter and a personal twitter. As far as I am concerned, he can block on his personal as long as he doesn't on his official.

Same here in Kentucky. Bevin has blocked about 600 people between official Facebook and Twitter pages. The ACLU filed suit, but — if I remember right — there hasn't been any court dates set. 

[*PhilHos*]

(05-23-2018, 05:52 PM)GMDino Wrote: The problem is he uses his personal account to make Presidential statements.

If he posted on the POTUS one solely I'd agree with you.

Then the judge should say he can no longer make presidential statments from his personal account.

(05-24-2018, 08:10 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: In MD, our governor blocks people off his official page. The ACLU sued and they agreed for him to have two accounts, a personal and an official. He can only block on his personal.

From what I understand, that wasn't an official court ruling though, just an agreement. He technically has an official twitter and a personal twitter. As far as I am concerned, he can block on his personal as long as he doesn't on his official.

According to the OP, it's his personal twitter (@realDonaldTrump), he's not allowed to block anyone on it and the OP said it was a ruling. 

[XenoMorph]

(05-23-2018, 04:19 PM)GMDino Wrote: I have to think he just hates not being a private citizen anymore.

I mean I'm sure he loves the power and that feeds his ego, but being told that he is held to different standards as the POTUS must be maddening to him.  Especially when he is told "no".

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/23/trump-cannot-block-critical-twitter-users-federal-court-rules/637454002/

wait you can block whoever you want on social media right? or is he trying to get them blocked from using it?

[*PhilHos*]

(05-24-2018, 01:09 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: wait you can block whoever you want on social media right? or is he trying to get them blocked from using it?

Sounds like he just blocked them from following him. You know how Leslie Jones did to Milo Yannopolousisouesouiesous? Apparently, it was okay for her to do so, but not for Trump because "free speech".

[XenoMorph]

(05-24-2018, 01:23 PM)PhilHos Wrote: Sounds like he just blocked them from following him. You know how Leslie Jones did to Milo Yannopolousisouesouiesous? Apparently, it was okay for her to do so, but not for Trump because "free speech".

Just because someone has the right of free speech doesn't mean they can force you to listen lol...

[Belsnickel]

I think the reality is that there is a degree of difficulty that would make it improbable to truly separate a personal social media account from almost any public figure, but especially elected officials, and absolutely the POTUS. This is most true on Twitter or Instagram where official accounts aren't going to be "Pages" like on Facebook. I would like to agree with the idea that the accounts could remain separated out, but the practicality of this solution isn't high.

[Belsnickel]

(05-24-2018, 01:23 PM)PhilHos Wrote: Sounds like he just blocked them from following him. You know how Leslie Jones did to Milo Yannopolousisouesouiesous? Apparently, it was okay for her to do so, but not for Trump because "free speech".

The right to free speech is the freedom to express oneself without government retaliation and especially to the government. A government official blocking you on social media is, in the opinion of the court, cutting off the avenue of expression to the government.

Leslie blocking Milo is just one private citizen ignoring another and has First Amendment issue at hand.

[Bengalzona]

(05-24-2018, 01:09 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: wait you can block whoever you want on social media right? or is he trying to get them blocked from using it?

Not from using it. Just from following his tweets. He wants to select who follows his daily rants.


God! I remember the days when POTUS's didn't "Tweet". What an effeminate-sounding word.... "tweet". If the POTUS wants to improve his image, why not petition to have them rename it "Bull Roar!" or "Wrath" or something cool and masculine.

Tweet

"Our President likes to twitter. He tweets a lot"

[*PhilHos*]

(05-24-2018, 01:33 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: The right to free speech is the freedom to express oneself without government retaliation and especially to the government. A government official blocking you on social media is, in the opinion of the court, cutting off the avenue of expression to the government.

Except blocking someone on twitter is not preventing them from expressing themselves.

[Belsnickel]

(05-24-2018, 01:45 PM)PhilHos Wrote: Except blocking someone on twitter is not preventing them from expressing themselves.

It is preventing an avenue of expression to the government. It is a government official restricting their freedom of expression. We may all agree in here that it is not something that we see as a major restriction, but the courts see it as enough to not be trivial.

[BmorePat87]

(05-24-2018, 01:01 PM)PhilHos Wrote: According to the OP, it's his personal twitter (@realDonaldTrump), he's not allowed to block anyone on it and the OP said it was a ruling. 

I know, I was referring to Hogan in MD.