Tech-rights group sues Trump to stop social-media order

A tech-focused civil liberties group on Tuesday sued to block President Donald Trump's order, signed last week, could allow more lawsuits against internet companies like Twitter and Facebook for what ir users post, tweet and stream.

order was more political than substantive, with many experts questioning wher it was constitutional. president aimed to rally his supporters after Twitter put fact checks on two of his tweets. Trump, without evidence, has long accused tech companies of being biased against conservatives.

order targets current law — you may have heard recent references to Section 230 of Communications Decency Act — that protects internet companies from lawsuits. y can't be sued for hosting videos and posts from users, or for moderating ir services, with some exceptions.

In its suit, Center for Democracy and Techlogy said that Trump's executive order violates First Amendment because it attacks Twitter for putting fact checks on president's tweets, which CDT said is Twitter's right as a private company. More broadly, order is trying to curb speech of all online platforms and people “by demonstrating willingness to use government authority to retaliate against those who criticize government," CDT said.

“ government cant and should t force online intermediaries into moderating speech according to president’s whims," said Alexandra Givens, CDT's CEO, in an emailed statement. organization filed federal suit in U.S. District Court for District of Columbia.

re was pushback against Trump's order from various sources. Tech industry groups, unsurprisingly, said it was bad for invation and speech. Civil rights and libertarian organizations and U.S. Chamber of Commerce also criticized Trump's order.

(Picture credit: AP)