Blocking critics on social media
Biden v. Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia Uni v.
In brief
The Supreme Court wiped out the lower-court ruling and sent the case back to be thrown out as moot, leaving the First Amendment question unanswered in this case.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided · April 5, 2021
- What it’s about
- This case concerned whether President Trump violated the First Amendment by blocking critics from his personal Twitter account after using that account to communicate official government business.
- Who it affects
- The Second Circuit's ruling no longer stands, but the Supreme Court did not decide whether blocking critics violated the First Amendment. The Court treated the dispute as moot after the change in administration and Twitter permanently removed Trump's account.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
The Supreme Court granted review but then vacated the lower court’s decision and sent the case back with instructions to dismiss it as moot after the change in administration and the loss of Trump’s Twitter account.
The case reflects a broader question about whether officials' personal social-media accounts can become channels for government communication.
Question presented
Whether the First Amendment deprives a government official of his right to control his personal Twitter account by blocking third-party accounts if he uses that personal account in part to announce official actions and policies.
What the Court decided
Holding
The judgment is vacated, and the case is remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit with instructions to dismiss the case as moot.
- Result
- Vacated
What's next
The Second Circuit's next step is to throw the case out (dismiss it) as moot (no longer a live dispute), following the Supreme Court's instructions. This case will not produce a Supreme Court decision on the First Amendment question.
Documents
Opinions
Key filings
Docket activity
New analysis added
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
AI analysis generated: Decision Record
Case data updated: status, opinion_date
Opinion added: Opinion
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Brief added: Petition
More questions
- What happened in Biden v. Knight First Amendment Institute?
- The Court wiped out the Second Circuit's ruling and sent the case back. It instructed that court to throw the case out (dismiss it) as moot (no longer a live dispute).
- What First Amendment question did the case raise?
- It asked whether President Trump could block critics from a personal Twitter account used partly to announce official actions and policies.
- Did the Supreme Court decide whether Trump could block critics?
- No. The Court treated the dispute as moot and did not decide whether the blocking violated the First Amendment.
- What made the dispute moot?
- The change in presidential administration and Trump's loss of his Twitter account removed the live dispute.
- What happens next in the case?
- The Second Circuit must throw the case out (dismiss it) as moot (no longer a live dispute), following the Supreme Court's instructions.
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.