A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. can proceed with a lawsuit against the Biden administration over alleged social media censorship of his Children’s Health Defense charity. The charity, which questions the safety of vaccines, claims that its content was suppressed due to actions by the government.
The U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Louisiana stated in his ruling that Kennedy is likely to succeed in his claim and that there is a risk of similar future injury. The lawsuit alleges that the government pressured social media giants like Facebook, X, and YouTube to censor content deemed as misinformation.
The Children’s Health Defense, founded by Kennedy, aims to end childhood health epidemics by eliminating toxic exposure. Critics have labeled the charity as 'anti-vaccine,' while the CDC has affirmed the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine.
After the ruling, CHD general counsel Kim Rosenberg praised the judge's analysis of the law and facts, citing the framework from the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Murthy v. Missouri. This case, brought by Republican attorneys general, accused the Biden administration of pressuring social media companies to censor content.
In the Kennedy case, Judge Doughty found direct evidence linking the charity's censorship to the government. The lawsuit will now return to a lower court for further review of the injunction.
Notably, the decision coincided with Kennedy suspending his presidential campaign and endorsing former President Trump. The legal battle over social media censorship continues to raise questions about the balance between free speech and content moderation on online platforms.
