A US federal judge has limited the Biden administration’s communications with social media companies which are aimed at moderating their content.
In a 155-page ruling on Tuesday, Judge Terry Doughty barred White House officials and some government agencies from contacting firms over “content containing protected free speech”.
It is a victory for Republicans who have accused officials of censorship.
Democrats said the platforms have failed to address misinformation.
The White House said the US Department of Justice was reviewing the ruling and deciding on its next steps.
It added that platforms should “make independent choices about the information they present”.
The ruling comes after a lawsuit by the Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana alleged that US officials had pressured social media platforms to address posts on topics including Covid-19 policies and election security.
Judge Doughty, who was an appointee of former US President Donald Trump, said the plaintiffs had “presented substantial evidence in support of their claims”.
The ruling limited communications by government agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI.
It also restricted US officials including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Jen Easterly, who heads the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
However, it made exceptions for contacting firms to warn them about risks to national security and criminal activity.
