Supreme Court Revisits First Amendment and Social Media Blocking by Public Officials

The Supreme Court is set to hear a case that could have significant implications for how government officials interact with the public on social media. The case involves a city manager in Michigan who blocked a constituent from his Facebook page after the constituent criticized his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The question before the court is whether public officials' social media pages are considered part of their official capacity, and if blocking constituents violates the First Amendment. This case, along with others pending before the Supreme Court, highlights the intersection of social media and government and the need for clarity on the rights and responsibilities of public officials in the digital age.