Appeals court scales back order squelching Biden administration contact with social media platforms

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court has significantly whittled down a lower court order curbing Biden administration communications with social media companies. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday said the White House, the Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and the FBI cannot “coerce” social media platforms to take down posts the government doesn’t like. But the court threw out broader language from a Louisiana-based federal judge that blocked a host of government agencies from contacting the platforms to urge that some content be taken down. Even the appeals court’s softened order doesn’t take effect immediately. The administration has 10 days to seek a Supreme Court review.