President Trump, known for his high profile and often incoherent Twitter ramblings, is now facing backlash from a free speech institute after he blocked a number of accounts that were critical of him. The @realDonaldTrump account has seen countless comment wars between Trump supporters and critics over his tweets and policies.
According to the Knight First Amendment Institute at New York's Columbia University, blocking users violates the First Amendment's freedom of speech clause. The group sent a letter to President Trump on Tuesday demanding he unblock the accounts in question. As a basis for their argument, the Institute is using previous cases based on other politicians blocking users on Facebook. They have compared Twitter comments to the digital form of a traditional town hall. Kicking people out who don't agree with your viewpoint undermines the fundamentals of democracy.
If they choose to pursue legal action against the Tweeter-In-Chief, Trump could claim the account is for personal use only as opposed to the @POTUS official account. The Institute said it would go after both accounts with "equal force."
Some of Trump's tweets have caused widespread criticism and in some cases, from both sides of the isle. There are rumors that White House officials have recommended he tone them down since some tweets may have legal ramifications. Recent tweets on his travel ban may affect his defense in court as well as overall policy.
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