Today, the vast exchange of political ideas occurs on forums like Twitter and Facebook. When scrolling on social media, the public has become “entitled to believe [] that they are viewing something of a representative cross-section” between the public’s reactions and the government’s reaction to their pronouncements. A government official’s social media account is used as a means to communicate with the public, thereby creating an appearance of a public forum. Electronic communication of this nature is so popular because it is “inexpensive,” “fast,” and “reaches a wide audience.” However, this new way to communicate comes with increased constitutional responsibilities.
The Government’s Power to Block on Twitter: A First Amendment Analysis
46 Rutgers L. Rec. 161 (2019) | WestLaw | LexisNexis | PDF