Restoring Freedom Of Speech And Ending Federal Censorship

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The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, an amendment essential to the success of our Republic, enshrines the right of the American people to speak freely in the public square without Government interference.  Over the last 4 years, the previous administration trampled free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms, often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on third parties, such as social media companies, to moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that the Federal Government did not approve.  Under the guise of combatting “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “malinformation,” the Federal Government infringed on the constitutionally protected speech rights of American citizens across the United States in a manner that advanced the Government’s preferred narrative about significant matters of public debate.  Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society. It is the policy of the United States to: (a)  secure the right of the American people to engage in constitutionally protected speech; (b)  ensure that no Federal Government officer, employee, or agent engages in or facilitates any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen; (c)  ensure that no taxpayer resources are used to engage in or facilitate any conduct that would unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen; and (d)  identify and take appropriate action to correct past misconduct by the Federal Government related to censorship of protected speech. Ending Censorship of Protected Speech.  (a)  No Federal department, agency, entity, officer, employee, or agent may act or use any Federal resources in a manner contrary to this order.


Restoring Freedom Of Speech And Ending Federal Censorship Trump signs order to end ‘government censorship’ of social media (Washington Post)