LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 A San Francisco judge tossed out former President Donald Trump\u2019s lawsuit challenging his permanent ban from Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
U.S. District Judge James Donato said Friday that Trump failed to show Twitter violated his First Amendment right to free speech. Free speech rights don\u2019t apply to private companies and Trump failed to show Twitter was working as a state actor on behalf of Democrats, the judge wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe amended complaint merely offers a grab-bag of allegations to the effect that some Democratic members of Congress wanted Mr. Trump, and \u2018the views he espoused,\u2019 to be banned from Twitter because such \u2018content and views\u2019 were \u2018contrary to those legislators\u2019 preferred points of view,\u2019\u201d Donato wrote. \u201cBut the comments of a handful of elected officials are a far cry from a \u2018rule of decision for which the State is responsible.\u2019 Legislators are perfectly free to express opinions without being deemed the official voice of \u2018the State.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump\u00a0sued Twitter, Facebook and Google\u2019s YouTube in July 2021, claiming they illegally censored him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The platforms suspended Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, in which his followers violently stormed the Capitol building in an attempt to block Congress from certifying Joe Biden\u2019s presidential win. The companies cited concerns he would incite further violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ruling comes as Elon Musk, the world\u2019s wealthiest man, is in the process of purchasing Twitter for $44 billion. The deal has raised questions about whether, Musk, a self-described free speech absolutist, would reinstate the former president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump, who has continued to repeat lies about his 2020 election defeat in speeches,\u00a0has started his own social network, Truth Social. He said last week that he wouldn\u2019t rejoin Twitter if given the chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The suit had sought to reinstate Trump\u2019s account, which had roughly 89 million followers, and those of five others who claimed they were also censored by Twitter. The group had sought unspecified damages and class action status on behalf of others removed from the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Legal experts had predicted the lawsuit would fail but suggested Trump would milk it for political purposes. Trump\u2019s political action committee immediately began raising money after the lawsuit was announced last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lawsuit had also sought a declaration that Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act was unconstitutional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The act says providers such as Twitter can moderate services by removing obscene posts that violate their standards and cannot be held responsible for content posted by others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump had only shown a \u201cvague and speculative allegation\u201d that he believed he would not have been banned if Twitter wasn\u2019t granted immunity by Section 230, Donato said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donato gave Trump another opportunity to amend his complaint. Trump\u2019s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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