On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court warned public officials could get in trouble for blocking critics on social media.
The case arose after James Freed created a private Facebook profile before 2008, later converting his profile to a public “page.” In 2014, Freed updated his Facebook page to note his new job as city manager of Port Huron, Michigan, but still posted about his personal life. He also posted information related to his job, responded to comments on his posts, and occasionally deleted comments that he considered “derogatory” or “stupid.”
After the COVID–19 pandemic began, Freed posted personal and job-related posts related to it. Facebook user Kevin Lindke commented on some of Freed’s posts, saying he disagreed with the city’s COVID policies. At first, Freed deleted Lindke’s comments, and later blocked him from commenting. Lindke then sued, claiming Freed…
