Washington D.C.—Today, the Facebook Oversight Board announced its decision upholding Facebook’s suspension of former President Trump for his violations of the company’s rules during and after the January 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol.
In response to the Board’s decision, Geoffrey T. Blackwell, Litigation Counsel at American Atheists, released the following statement:
President Trump abused social media platforms to block his critics, lie to his supporters, and undermine the foundations of American democracy. Like President Trump, too many government officials misuse their social media accounts to silence and discriminate against constituents they disagree with, especially atheists.
When public officials violate our rights on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, we must demand accountability. With the courts consistently affirming that Americans’ First Amendment rights extend to online space controlled by the government, including government agencies’ social media pages, we have the law on our side—and we must use it. American Atheists will continue to protect the free speech of atheists around the country who are silenced by government officials.”
American Atheists encourages its members to engage in dialogue with elected officials on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms. If those officials block you because you disagree with their policies or criticize their actions, they have violated your First Amendment rights. Report the violation to us, and we will take action on your behalf.
