ACLU sues Maryland governor over social media blocking

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit against Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan for blocking people who disagree with him on his official Facebook page and deleting their comments.

The ACLU sued Tuesday on behalf of four people, saying their First Amendment rights were violated.

Hogan’s spokeswoman, Amelia Chasse, calls the lawsuit “frivolous.” She says the governor’s office has a clear policy and will “remove all hateful and violent content” and “co-ordinated spam attacks.” She says the ACLU “should be focusing on more important issues.”

The ACLU says censoring constituents on social media has become a pressing issue nationwide. The ACLU filed a similar lawsuit Monday against Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, and the Knight First Amendment Institute is suing President Donald Trump for blocking people on Twitter.