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UPDATE: On March 14, 2019, the Facebook, Twitter, Google Free Speech class action lawsuit was dismissed. While an appeal was filed by the plaintiff, the dismissal was upheld by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on August 13, 2020.
A conservative nonprofit company recently filed a free speech class action lawsuit against numerous tech companies, alleging that they have conspired to allow “fake news media” to dominate search results.
Freedom Watch Inc. filed the class action lawsuit against Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Apple, alleging that the companies have conspired together to suppress conservative news outlets.
Freedom Watch claims that the defendants entered into an “illegal agreement to refuse to deal with conservative news and media outlets” which is in violation of antitrust laws, such as the Sherman Act, and the First Amendment.
“Since defendants, each and every one of them, have begun their conspiracy to intentionally and willfully, and/or acting in concerted parallel fashion, to suppress conservative content and refuse to deal with Freedom Watch, Freedom Watch’s growth on these platforms has come to a complete halt, and its audience base and revenue generated has either plateaued or diminished,” the Facebook free speech class action claims.
The alleged conspiracy has caused numerous conservative news outlets and media companies to lose profits. The defendant media companies reportedly suppress the exposure of conservative news which decreases the amount of people which see the site and, in turn, decreases profits.
The founder of Freedom Watch, Larry Klayman, recently told Law360 that he suspects that YouTube has placed “some kind of governor” on Freedom Watch’s account which has allegedly stifled that channel’s growth and led to a stagnating subscriber base.
“That kind of thing is happening with everybody,” Klayman claimed. “A decision was made about six months ago that these companies were not going to allow conservative organizations to flourish. It’s part of the attempt to take down President Trump.”
The filing of this Twitter, Apple class action lawsuit comes only days after President Donald Trump made a series of tweets, alleging that 96 percent of Google search results for “Trump news” are from “national left-wing media.”
Freedom Watch cited this statistic in their Google free speech class action along with the statistic’s source, a study conducted by PJ Media’s supervising editor, Paula Bolyard.
Following Trump’s flurry of tweets, Google made a statement, assuring that “We never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment.”
In a statement to Law360, Freedom Watch said that the organization has been preparing to file a class action since before Trump’s tweets, but that the comments by the president “certainly brought everything to a crescendo.”
Klayman has also called out Attorney General Jeff Sessions for failing to prosecute the media giants. Klayman claims that Sessions is the “the darling of the left, given his refusal to prosecute Hillary Clinton, John Brennan, James Clapper, James Comey, prominent Democrats and others … while at the same time giving Robert Mueller carte blanche to proceed with his ‘witch hunt.'”
“The job now falls to Freedom Watch to right this discrimination against conservatives by the social media giants,” Klayman argues.
Freedom Watch seeks to represent a Class of politically conservative organizations that create or distribute media content who have experienced suppression or censorship of their content by the defendants.
The Facebook, Google free speech class action seeks damages in excess of $1 billion in addition to injunctive relief.
Freedom Watch is represented by its Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.
The Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter Free Speech Class Action Lawsuit is Freedom Watch Inc. v. Google Inc., et al., Case No. 1:18-cv-02030, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
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761 thoughts onFacebook, Twitter, Google Face $1B Free Speech Class Action
Please contact me as well. I keep having issues with Twitter suspending my account and removing my tweets because I am a conservative republican and if I speak respectfully with someone about factual issues like the BLM founder comparing her new book to Charmian Mao’s of the CCP (which came directly from her) my account gets locked.
Yes I want to sue these social media sites because they are surpressing my FREEDOM OF SPEECH ‼️
Please add me to the class action lawsuit. My FB profile was deactivated and I was given no reason…I suspect it’s because my opinions go against FB’s liberal agenda.
Please add me to this law suite, Facebook just banned me again for posting the truth about vaccines and election fraud.
Facebook has banned me several times for posting truth
I contacted the DOJ about misconduct on the part of Google Services, Inc., Youtube account. My account was cancelled without any warning, and i do not know why, I guess it was my time to be “picked on.”
My case with the DOJ civil rights division was cancelled because of “JURISDICTION.”
The only thing i commented on was about religion. No one or group in particular.
I was accused of “stalking,” ‘hate speech,” and what’s worse “cyberbullying.”
I was allowed only one appeal. And they decided to cancel my account “for good.
However, I was allowed to keep my email address. which i thought strange.
Their censers are not diversified. They take things personally.
I was very angry and hurt, they allows everyone, except myself on youtube.
I contacted my state’s AG office, after learning they have a Civil Rights Division.
I filed a formal complaint, and mailed it in.
I also mailed in three “smoking guns,” I was able to locate on another site about Google Services.
Their “censers,” or Google Groups are racists.
Google Groups have secretive round table discussions about certain ethnic groups, that you
have to become a member to participate in.
This may help my case. As i hope to sue for “Free Speech,” and or, “Racial Discrimination.”
i would really like for this legal action to become a “class action.” as i am not the only one they
have consistently pushed around this way.
i would appreciate feed back, and tell me what you think, about Google Groups, racial practices, and indifferences.
Once again my facebook account is ‘restricted’ for THIRTY DAYS saying something normal in my everyday style of communication, MY FREE SPEECH. This time I whimsically commented on a meme that talked about male bees loosing their penises after mating… My comment: “STUPID MALES”. Their response, “Your comment goes against our Community Standards on hate speech and inferiority—”We don’t allow content that contains hate speech. This includes attacks on people because of race, ethnicity, religion, caste, physical or mental ability, gender, or sexual orientation.” Technically, I was referring to BEES. BEES ARE NOT PEOPLE. But their stupid system is set to see the worst in everyone and is not human. Their AI is set too STRICT, and just assumed I was referring to people… I should be able to say anything I want. I hate the idea of a CORPORATION hiding behind the idea that it is a “private company”. Private companies, especially ones who INVITE THE PUBLIC to use their platform/services online should be forced to adhere to the civil rights laws, just like physical stores, and public accommodations. I’m tired of being harassed/bullied by facebook for these petty instances. I’m a good person, and am sick of being treated like a child or criminal. PLEASE ADD ME.
bummer… I see now that this has been dismissed… our world is not on the side of the people anymore… we’re in some bad times, man.
You have to be rich and famous for anyone to take you seriously. I hope everyone sees now, why they get away with the things they do. They knows all to well, the federal civil rights laws won’t upheld their promise.
I’m looking for an Attorney, because fb keeps banning my free speech as well, I get banned from posting constantly.
My freedom of speech is violated by facebook, facebook keeps banning my freedom of speech and I’m banned at this moment for the entire week, I cannot post and/or comments, what happened to our freedom of speech in the U.S., I do not remember to sign anything regarding this matter with facebook.
Yes I want to sue these social media sites because they are surpressing my FREEDOM OF SPEECH ‼️
I’m sick of this Facebook jail nonsense!!!!! ‼️‼️
Has been acted upon this subject?
How can I be added to class action against Facebook? I had an account with Facebook from 2004. I had never had any issues. I posted 1 post about Department of Education in Oregon and got banned. My account was closed stating I went against community standards and they will not reopen my account for any reason. So I didn’t get any warning, nor have any idea how the article I posted goes against the standards, and instead of getting banned for a day/week/month- I was permanently banned over 1 post.
I am always getting banned on facebook. A law should be passed on social media to ban speech censoring fascists
Has been acted upon this subject?
I’d like to be included. I’ve been banned by Facebook numerous times for speaking out against people in power accused of sexual misconduct and against known pedophiles. So, everytime I comment or make a post about such, I get banned
I have been blocked on Twitter since Jan 8. I posted 2 pictures about Jan 6 that countered their narrative about Jan 6 that I found in 2 separate news articles online. They claim I posted private information. Their was no private information in the photos, nor in the text describing them. I continue to be blocked because I refuse to delete the tweet. They have isolated me from friends I have no other means to communicate with. They are controlling the information I use in my pursuit of happiness. This is a direct infringement on my rights. I appealed their decision to censor me, they denied the appeal. I appealed a second time and have had no response in months. I have all of it documented and have been looking for an avenue to strike back and reclaim my rights.