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A federal court has ordered the Biden administration to provide communication records between the government and major technology firms.
The order of discovery, sought by Republican Attorneys Generals Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Jeff Landry of Louisiana, was granted by U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty, who is based in the Western District of Louisiana.
The two attorneys general had accused the administration of stonewalling their requests for information about discussions with tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter.
“We welcome the court’s ruling today ordering the Biden Administration to finally hand over documents related to its backroom dealings with Big Tech,” Landry said in a statement.
“For too long, the tech giants have enjoyed a special relationship with the federal government,” he added. “It’s time for some transparency.”
The administration has until May 24 to comply with the order. It’s not clear what, if any, information will be revealed.
The case is just one of many ways Republicans are trying to chip away at the power of big tech companies. Earlier this year, former President Donald Trump launched a commission to investigate the role of social media in the 2020 election. And GOP lawmakers have proposed several bills that would regulate tech companies.
The efforts are likely to continue as the 2022 midterm elections approach. Republicans see attacking big tech as a winning issue with voters, who are increasingly frustrated with the power of these companies.
But it’s not clear how much they’ll be able to accomplish. The Biden administration is unlikely to support any major changes to the way tech companies operate. And even if Republicans make gains in the midterms, they’re unlikely to have enough votes to override a presidential veto.
A federal judge in Louisiana has ordered the Biden administration to hand over communications with tech companies about how those companies moderate content on their platforms.
The lawsuit, filed by Louisiana and Missouri, alleged that the administration is violating the First Amendment by coordinating with tech companies to censor content that is critical of the government.
The lawsuit also said that the now disbanded “Disinformation Governance Board” suppressed information involving the Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 Presidential election, the lab-leak theory of COVID-19’s origin, the efficiency of masks and COVID-19 lockdowns, and election integrity.
“After the AGs filed a motion for expedited preliminary injunction-related discovery, the Biden administration filed an opposition. The Biden administration argued Louisiana and Missouri don’t have the authority to bring a parens Patria suit – an action to protect citizens unable to protect themselves
U.S. District Judge Stephen Higginson said in his order that the states do have standing to bring the suit and that the communications are relevant to the case.
The order requires the administration to hand over all communications between it and any tech company about content moderation on those platforms. The judge also ordered the administration to produce a list of all meetings and calls involving tech companies and government officials about content moderation.
The order gives the administration until May 28 to comply.
This lawsuit is just one of many that have been filed against tech companies alleging censorship. Earlier this month, a group of Republican state attorneys general filed a similar suit against Facebook. And last week, a coalition of conservative groups filed suit against Twitter, alleging that the platform censored them.
It’s unclear how the Biden administration will respond to this latest lawsuit. But the fact that the judge ordered the administration to hand over communications with tech companies shows that there is merit to the states’ claims. And it could put pressure on the administration to take action against tech censorship.
