Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his super PAC are taking legal action against Meta, accusing the company of blocking a campaign ad on Instagram and Facebook in violation of the First Amendment. The ad, a documentary titled “Who is Bobby Kennedy” narrated by Woody Harrelson, was briefly blocked last week but quickly restored. Kennedy Jr. alleges that Meta’s Covid-19 misinformation policies are a result of government pressure, leading to the violation of his and users’ First Amendment rights.
Despite Meta’s Covid-19 content moderation rules no longer being in effect in the U.S. since the public health emergency expired last year, Kennedy Jr. and the super PAC are also accusing the company of violating a civil rights law that prohibits threatening, intimidating, or coercing citizens to abstain from lawful political speech in support of a federal candidate. They claim that Meta disabled and suspended users’ accounts who shared the campaign video, leading to the legal action seeing compensatory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction to prevent further blocking of content supporting Kennedy Jr.’s candidacy.
While Kennedy Jr. has faced challenges regarding free speech in the past, such as a lawsuit against Google claiming First Amendment violations, which was denied, he continues to push forward with legal action against Meta. Recent polling data shows that 10% of voters in six battleground states would support Kennedy Jr. in a presidential election, with 7% of Democrats and 4% of Republicans expressing their support. Kennedy Jr., a Covid-19 vaccine skeptic, was previously banned from Instagram for violating Covid-19 misinformation policies, but the ban was lifted after he announced his presidential bid last year.
Despite his contentious views on Covid-19 and vaccines, Kennedy Jr. continues to campaign for the presidency, taking on both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. The lawsuit against Meta highlights the ongoing battle over free speech and political expression on social media platforms, as Kennedy Jr. seeks justice for what he sees as a violation of his rights as a candidate. As the legal proceedings unfold, it remains to be seen how this case will impact the future of political speech online and the relationship between tech companies and political candidates.
Overall, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s legal action against Meta sheds light on the complexities of free speech, political expression, and tech company policies in the digital age. With the presidential election approaching, Kennedy Jr. and his super PAC are fighting to ensure that their message is not suppressed or censored by social media platforms. As the lawsuit progresses, it will be interesting to see how the courts navigate the intersection of free speech rights and private company policies on online platforms, and what implications this case may have for future political campaigns and discourse in the digital realm.
