We shouldn't expect the flow of misinformation or disinformation on social media to slow. Still, at least the floodgates will be perhaps a bit less open following Wednesday's Supreme Court decision. The high court ruled inthat the individual and state plaintiffs did not have standing to seek a preliminary injunction against federal executive-branch officials and agencies over their official communications with social media companies regarding the spread of misinformation online.
"There are essential moments when our government should be allowed, even encouraged, to contact private companies like social-media platforms and provide factual information to them, especially when issues of foreign interference, election integrity, national security and encouragement of violence crop up online and pose real-world threats.
"Misinformation has been—and continues to be—an issue on social media platforms. The Supreme Court's ruling is an important one. It showed the Biden Administration didn't put pressure on the likes of X—formerly Twitter—or Facebook to censor content," explained Jason Mollica, lecturer in the School of Communication at James Madison University.