Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he is suing Facebook, Twitter, and Google in a class-action lawsuit in an attempt to reclaim his blocked social media accounts.
The case is the latest chapter in a lengthy battle he's been fighting against tech behemoths that, he claims, have unfairly censored him. Trump said he was barred from speaking because he was "exercising his constitutional right to free speech," according to the lawsuit.
From a podium at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the former president told reporters, "We're going to hold big tech accountable."Trump said he would file the lawsuit in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, but he emphasized that he is not looking for a settlement.
Why Does Trump file lawsuit against Big Tech?
On January 7, Trump was banned indefinitely by Facebook after making incendiary statements the day before his supporters conducted a riot at the US Capitol. Due to the "potential of future incitement of violence," Twitter immediately followed suit and permanently banned the former president's account.
Former President Donald Trump has filed proposed class-action lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter, and Google subsidiary YouTube, as well as CEOs Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Sundar Pichai. The lawsuit, according to Trump, wants urgent injunctive action so that his social media accounts can be restored as soon as possible. He also stated that he intends to seek "punitive damages" from the three social media giants, AXIOS reported.
Through a new legal organization dubbed as the Constitutional Litigation Partnership, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a nonprofit dedicated to sustaining Trump's ideas, is supporting Trump's legal endeavor. Brooke Rollins, the president and CEO of AFPI, and Linda McMahon, the board chair, both former Trump officials, joined him for the announcement.
Class action lawsuits would allow Trump to challenge tech CEOs on behalf of a larger number of individuals who, he claims, have been silenced by discriminatory practices. Trump and other conservative opponents have produced no meaningful proof that either platform's policies or execution are skewed against conservatives, up to date.
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Is Trump the sole plaintiff?
Trump's representation of himself as a supporter of the First Amendment is likewise selective. He has regularly campaigned for changes to libel laws to make it easier for plaintiffs to sue media organizations, and he has referred to the mainstream media as the "enemy of the people" during his presidency.
Other plaintiffs in the Facebook case include Elizabeth Albert, Kiyan and Bobby Michael, and Jennifer Horton. Trump is the primary plaintiff in the case. They all claim to have their accounts stopped or reported, with warnings for spreading false information regarding Covid-19.
The complaint demands compensatory and punitive damages, as well as the reinstatement of Trump's and other class members' accounts. John P. Coale, a well-known and long-time Washington trial lawyer who has represented class action plaintiffs in cases against tobacco companies and Union Carbide, is the case's lead counsel.
After Twitter began to place fact check labels on some of Trump's tweets in May of 2020, he attempted to amend Section 230. Although the FCC began the process of examining the provision, Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election altered the circumstances, leaving the agency with a 2-2 split and a potential Democratic majority, as per Deadline.
As soon as the former president announced his lawsuit, pro-Trump groups began soliciting donations to help pay it. Trump, who is considering running for president again in 2024, aimed at Big Tech during his failed 2020 presidential campaign against Joe Biden.
Trump's ability to communicate has been hampered by Twitter and Facebook restrictions. He launched a new website to express himself, but it was taken down within a month. Aides developed GETTR, a social media site for him and his supporters.
Per USA Today, Trump's suspension, which includes his Instagram account, was upheld by Facebook's Oversight Board in early June. There are doubts about Trump's commitment to the case. Legal discovery, according to attorneys, would expose Trump to inquiries regarding his conduct, even those prior to his followers' uprising.
Related Article: Facebook's Indefinite Trump Ban Shows Platform Exercising Too Much Power
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