By John Fritze and Jessica Guynn
Associate Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a dissent that it is not yet clear how the high court’s precedents may apply to regulating the internet.
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked Texas from enforcing a law banning social media giants like Facebook and Twitter from moderating content – an outcome critics said would have forced “extremist” material onto the platforms.
The Supreme Court’s decision blocks enforcement of the law temporarily while the underlying case continues in lower federal courts.
The 5-4 order was not accompanied by an opinion explaining the decision. Associate Justice Samuel Alito, in a dissent joined by Associate Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, wrote that it is “not at all obvious how our existing precedents, which predate the age of the internet, should apply to large social media companies.”
In an unusual alignment, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, a member of the court’s liberal wing, joined the three conservatives in saying she would have allowed the law to be enforced but didn’t explain her reasoning.
