• Biden administration appeals ruling restricting engagement with social media companies.
• Exceptions made for communication related to national security and criminal activity.
• Ruling viewed as victory for Republicans, alleging suppression of opposing viewpoints.

The Biden administration has filed an appeal against a federal judge’s ruling that imposed restrictions on certain agencies and officials from engaging with social media companies to moderate their content.

The appeal, filed yesterday, indicates the government’s intention to seek a review of the ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans. The lawsuit in question challenges the administration’s efforts to urge social media platforms to address posts it deems as disinformation.

Republican attorneys general from Louisiana and Missouri filed a lawsuit alleging that US government officials exceeded their authority by pressuring social media companies to address content related to vaccine hesitancy and election integrity.

A federal judge issued an injunction on Tuesday, prohibiting government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI from engaging with social media companies to remove or suppress protected free speech. Judge Terry Doughty’s order included exceptions for communication regarding national security risks and criminal activity.

The ruling was seen as a victory for Republicans who claimed that the Biden administration was using the pandemic and concerns about misinformation as a pretext to suppress opposing viewpoints. US officials defended their actions, stating that they aimed to combat vaccine misinformation and reduce preventable deaths.