Government Officials Should Not Try to Influence Social Media

Jeffrey Miron and Jacob Winter

The Supreme Court recently threw out a case alleging that Biden administration officials unlawfully pressed social media companies to remove COVID-19-related disinformation. The court found that the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue, so it did not address the free speech or broader policy issues. Future cases with standing are likely, however, so it is important to consider the underlying questions.

Distressingly, many on the left and right want to regulate social media...