No. 22-611October Term 2023Decided Mar 15, 2024
Lindke v. Freed
The Supreme Court established a new test to determine when a public official's social media activity constitutes state action, ruling that officials are liable for blocking critics only if they possess actual authority to speak for the state and purport to exercise that authority in their posts.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Mar 15, 2024
- What it's about
The Supreme Court established a new test to determine when a public official's social media activity constitutes state action, ruling that officials are liable for blocking critics only if they possess actual authority to speak for the state and purport to exercise that authority in their posts. The unanimous decision vacated a lower court ruling involving a city manager who blocked a resident from his Facebook page.
Question presented
When does a public official’s social media activity constitute state action subject to the First Amendment?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit / Decision released Mar 15, 2024
- Area
First Amendment
Documents
Related cases




Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Mar 30, 2026
- Method
- Methodology
Primary materials8
Supreme Court docket 22-611
docket | Mar 30, 2026
Primary case document
Supreme Court document | Mar 30, 2026
CourtListener docket record
docket | Mar 30, 2026
Questions Presented
brief | Mar 8, 2026
Lindke
opinion | Mar 15, 2024
opinion
opinion | Mar 15, 2024
Petition
brief | Dec 29, 2022
Lower Court Orders/Opinions
order | Oct 4, 2022