Presidents Twitter Account Should Not Block Users, First Amendment Lawyers Argue

[Judi Lynn]

Source: NBC News


by SAFIA SAMEE ALI
JUN 6 2017, 11:22 PM ET


The president’s Twitter habits are getting him into even more legal murkiness.

A group of First Amendment lawyers sent President Donald Trump a letter on Tuesday asking him to unblock Twitter users whom he gave the digital cold shower after they chastised or disagreed with him on social media — citing that Trump’s Twitter space is a "public forum" so the ban is unconstitutional.

The Knight First Amendment Institute, a non-profit under the Knight Foundation and Columbia University, represents several Twitter users who have been blocked from accessing @realDonaldTrump after they wrote unflattering statements about the president.

The letter to Trump says his “Twitter account operates as a ‘designated public forum’ for First Amendment purposes, and accordingly the viewpoint-based blocking of our clients is unconstitutional.”

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/president-s-twitter-account-should-not-block-users-first-amdendment-n769026

[flibbitygiblets]

1. Hooray! I was hoping this would happen--you can't say on the one hand that

the pResident is using twitter to speak to Americans without the MSM filter, blahblahblah,

WHILE blocking those of us who disagree with him! Hello, as much as it disgusts most of us, that orange shartstain is everyone's president, and we have a right to hear what insane rantings he's spewing, unfiltered from his tap-dancing cronies.

...cue temper-tantrum from the whiny little Cheeto-in-chief for once again not getting his way. SAD!

[Control-Z]

2. How great would that be?

Forcing the maggot to unblock everyone he doesn't like? I would bet money that it wouldn't stop him from tweeting. His tweets are bound to become more offensive, and guaranteed to provoke some live, real time, arguments!

Can you imagine? Unfettered conversation with one of the most hated thugs in the world.

[Lazy Daisy]

3. There are some real jerks out there

Can you imagine some of them trolling him on his own twitter. Would be a sight wouldn't it. I think I'd pay to see it.

[Crash2Parties]

4. If you'd really pay, donate to The Knight First Amendment Institute?

[SunSeeker]

5. K & R

[Javaman]

6. shouldn't twitter itself have the ability to unblock people on someones account?

as administrators?

[alarimer]

7. I suggest everyone on Twitter block Trump.

Is it a tweet if nobody can read it?

Of more serious concern is that he is using this as official communication and, as such, needs to be archived and in the public record. I have no idea if that is being done.

[hexola]

8. One step closer to this...