Yesterday, I reported on a potential legal battle between the Trump Administration and Twitter. The US government demanded people behind an anti-Trump Twitter account reveal themselves. But Twitter didn’t let that happen. Then came lawsuit talk. But in the last 24 hours, something else happened. The Twitter lawsuit ?dropped!
So why is the Twitter lawsuit no more? Because the Dept. of Homeland Security dropped the demand. They no longer require the people of @ALT_USCIS to unmask themselves. Twitter learned of this late yesterday afternoon. So they dropped the lawsuit. Tech journalists tried to talk to Twitter leaders about the matter. But Twitter declined to comment.
We don’t know if the US government will drop this matter for good. Maybe they’re regrouping for a second try to unmask @ALT_USCIS. In the IT service world, anything is possible. However, Homeland security depended on a statute involving tax information. Twitter called the move, ‘ineffective’. Furthermore, Twitter defended itself with the First Amendment. That First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of the press.” Hence, Homeland Security really had no case. I think they knew it. But that doesn’t mean they can’t, or won’t, try again.
The US government can just use a different tactic or statue. I hope they don’t. Between you and me, this Twitter lawsuit needs to stay where it is: dropped! But the current administration is adamant about cracking down on leaks to the press. This is especially true if these leaks are unflattering. I say this because both sides are too busy to be fighting about this. Twitter isn’t exactly in the best of shape. And the Trump Administration has more pressing issue to worry about than what some Twitter account say about them. It seems like the war between Trump and Twitter ended before it really began. Will all remain peaceful?