New York, NY — Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court Northern District of California alleging that the tech giant censored his speech on YouTube in collaboration with the federal government.
Kennedy claims that Google and the federal government partnered to enforce “misinformation” policies aimed at censoring political opponents, including himself.
This action, he argues, violates the First Amendment when it arises from a public-private partnership that depends on government sources and when the private entity, in this case, Google, shares the government’s objectives in suppressing speech.
Scott Street, the attorney spearheading the litigation, expressed gratitude towards Judge Cousins for promptly scheduling the hearing. “Google will not suffer any harm from being ordered not to censor Mr. Kennedy during his campaign. But society will suffer if the censorship continues,” said Street.
YouTube serves as a significant platform for political dialogue in the United States, described as a digital town square for voters seeking news and opinions.
However, Kennedy argues that Google has suppressed numerous Americans whose views clash with the U.S. government’s narratives. His case is one among several across the country, including another argued last week in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals by two state attorneys general.
Unlike that case, Kennedy’s litigation seeks an order directly against Google, rather than against government officials.