U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt announced on Mar. 24 that a settlement and consent decree have been reached in the Missouri v. Biden lawsuit, concluding claims that the federal government pressured social media platforms to censor protected speech.
The agreement prohibits the U.S. Surgeon General, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency from influencing social media companies to suppress constitutionally protected content or interfere with their moderation decisions. The outcome is described as placing operational limits on how certain federal officials may interact with social media regarding free speech.
“This is a massive win for the First Amendment and for every American who believes in free speech,” said Senator Schmitt. “Under Biden, we saw the most aggressively liberal and antiliberty excesses of government that America has ever seen, and as AG I sued the Administration for brazenly colluding with Big Tech to silence Missourians. From COVID to Hunter Biden’s laptop to the border, Biden officials at the highest levels of government tried to use Facebook, X, and YouTube as their speech police. But no longer. This decision locks in Americans’ First Amendment rights, and guarantees that even in the digital age, the federal government cannot deplatform protected speech they simply disagree with. Missouri struck first, and we won big. For every American who is tired of being silenced by your own government—this victory is yours.”
The consent decree imposes a ten-year court-enforceable injunction preventing certain federal agencies from threatening major social media platforms with legal or economic consequences aimed at removing or reducing plaintiffs’ protected online expression.
Schmitt filed Missouri v. Biden in 2022 while serving as Missouri’s Attorney General after alleging cooperation between federal officials and technology companies to limit online discourse deemed controversial by authorities.
According to the official website, Schmitt serves as vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee alongside other Senate committee roles such as Judiciary Committee and Armed Services Committee according to his official website. He focuses on protecting free speech issues while also advocating for families with special needs—a commitment inspired by his son Stephen’s experiences as reported by his office.
Schmitt draws inspiration from personal family experiences when advocating for special needs families across Missouri according to his official website. He comes from a sixth-generation family of farmers, teachers, and small business owners based in Missouri according to biographical information provided. In addition to these priorities he engages youth through programs like Senator’s Youth Council aimed at promoting civic engagement as detailed on his website.
Broader implications include reinforcing First Amendment protections within digital communication spaces—a development observers note may shape future interactions between governmental agencies and technology companies.
