Judge forces Trump to unblock Twitter users

[kpitcher]

https://mashable.com/2018/08/29/trum.../#jtbSc2x.zmqL

If the President of the United States blocks you on Twitter, that means he’s violating your First Amendment rights.

Donald Trump has been forced to unblock 41 Twitter users who had apparently irked the President on the social media platform. However, this isn’t a choice Trump willingly made. A federal judge ruled that the tweets posted on the President’s account are public forums and blocking a user violated their Constitutional right to free speech.


....
After the ruling in May, the Justice Department complained about the decision, claiming that Trump's @RealDonaldTrump Twitter account "belongs to Donald Trump in his personal capacity and is subject to his personal control, not the control of the government." While the judge disagreed, she did allow the President a bit of a workaround. While Trump would violate Twitter users’ rights with a block, the President could use the “mute” feature, which would still give them the ability to view and reply to his tweets, even though he can’t see their posts.

[Danke]

So would this apply to any government worker? Or elected official?

[kpitcher]

So would this apply to any government worker? Or elected official?

Spicer did say Donald Trumps tweets were official statements of the white house so I assume that's the reasoning. If any other elected official said that their private twitter were official statements I'd assume the same would apply.

[Swordsmyth]

Again?
I thought they already did this.
This will be overturned.

[Swordsmyth]

Spicer did say Donald Trumps tweets were official statements of the white house so I assume that's the reasoning. If any other elected official said that their private twitter were official statements I'd assume the same would apply.

Spicer shooting off his mouth doesn't make it so.

[kpitcher]

Spicer shooting off his mouth doesn't make it so.

When the official press secretary of the white house says something isn't that to be taken at face value? He made that comment when he was still the press mouthpiece for the whitehouse and it was never walked back that I'm aware of.

[Swordsmyth]

When the official press secretary of the white house says something isn't that to be taken at face value? He made that comment when he was still the press mouthpiece for the whitehouse and it was never walked back that I'm aware of.

Was he allowed to make policy?
Did he say that someone with authority made that policy?
Has anyone with authority said that?

[kpitcher]

Was he allowed to make policy?
Did he say that someone with authority made that policy?
Has anyone with authority said that?

Looks like a federal judge thought it was policy. Wonder if this is something that the supreme court will eventually weigh in on.

[Swordsmyth]

Looks like a federal judge thought it was policy.

I have no doubt he wanted to see it that way.

Wonder if this is something that the supreme court will eventually weigh in on.

I'm sure it will come to that.

[Schifference]

Blocking a tweet is not limiting a person's speech. They can say whatever they want.

[RonZeplin]

[kpitcher]

Blocking a tweet is not limiting a person's speech. They can say whatever they want.

When you get blocked you can't see what that person said in your feed so it's not that their speech is limited, it's that as a citizen you can't hear what the president is saying.

[Swordsmyth]

When you get blocked you can't see what that person said in your feed so it's not that their speech is limited, it's that as a citizen you can't hear what the president is saying.

That isn't how I understand it to work, as far as I know they can still read the DJTvsg's tweets but their replys don't show in his account.

[kpitcher]

https://help.twitter.com/en/using-tw...cking-accounts

Blocked accounts cannot:

Follow you
View your Tweets when logged in on Twitter (unless they report you, and your Tweets mention them)
Find your Tweets in search when logged in on Twitter
Send Direct Messages to you
View your following or followers lists, likes or lists when logged in on Twitter
View a Moment you’ve created when logged in on Twitter
Add your Twitter account to their lists
Tag you in a photo

[Schifference]

Is Twitter allowed to set their own rules or does a judge say what twitter can and cannot do?

[Schifference]

If I call the White House will Donald Trump have to take my call?

[Swordsmyth]

https://help.twitter.com/en/using-tw...cking-accounts

Blocked accounts cannot:

Follow you
View your Tweets when logged in on Twitter (unless they report you, and your Tweets mention them)
Find your Tweets in search when logged in on Twitter
Send Direct Messages to you
View your following or followers lists, likes or lists when logged in on Twitter
View a Moment you’ve created when logged in on Twitter
Add your Twitter account to their lists
Tag you in a photo

OK.

I don't have a twitter account and I can see his tweets, they can see them the same way I do.

[Aratus]

trump's twitterfeed = total 'zoo' now...

[Bryan]

OK.

I don't have a twitter account and I can see his tweets, they can see them the same way I do.

You can see them if not logged in. If you log into an account that is blocked you can't read them, however. So it's not much of a read block.

[PierzStyx]

LOL. Cheeto Mussolini right now:

[fcreature]

Very bad precedent to set. Also incredibly stupid.

Hopefully, this gets to the Supreme Court and is struck down.

[Brian4Liberty]

Peter Van Buren (@wemeantwell) wrote:

Well my life is complete: I've been blocked by Hillary Clinton.

https://www.twitter.com/WeMeantWell/...04531512094720

Ironically, you can no longer see the Tweet on Twitter, as Twitter has banned Peter Van Buren.