Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sued Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday, alleging the social media platform censored an election video on May 3.
The Kennedy-supporting super PAC, American Values 2024, posted a 30-minute video titled, “Who Is Bobby Kennedy?,” which the independent charges Instagram and Facebook users were restricted from sharing. Kennedy and American Values 2024 filed a First Amendment lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Meta, Zuckerberg and other entities seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction barring the platform from continued alleged censorship.
“This case raises important issues about censorship of political candidates by social media giants like Meta,” First Amendment attorney Rick Jaffe, Esq., who is representing Kennedy in the lawsuit, said in a statement. “I have no doubt this case will set a precedent as Americans increasingly rely on social media to form their opinions and values.”
Kennedy alleges that Meta users were given various explanations as to why they weren’t permitted to share the video, including some being “told the video was spam or that the link went to a malicious website, or that it contained ‘graphic and violent content,’” a May 6 press release reads. Others received notice that the video “violated community standards” or that the “upload failed.”
“If supporters of all candidates do not have equal access to the digital public square, then we have a democracy in name only,” Kennedy said in a statement. “This goes beyond restricting freedom of expression on issues and ideas. Meta is censoring a biographical film about a major candidate in an election year. How can voters make an informed choice if they are denied basic information about a candidate’s life?”
A Meta spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement that “the link was mistakenly blocked and was quickly restored once the issue was discovered.”
Kennedy is perceived to be a “spoiler” in the 2024 matchup between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, with both camps ramping up attacks against the independent. Trump’s lead against Biden widens slightly from 1.2 points to 4.3 points when Kennedy is included in the RealClearPolitics national average.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include comment from Meta.
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