A United States Federal Judge has ruled that Donald Trump cannot legally block his followers on twitter.
Twitter-happy Trump takes to the micro-blogging site to announce major policy decisions of his administration, promote his agenda and attack political rivals.
Trump, with more than 52 million followers, is the most followed world leader on the micro-blogging site.
US District Judge in New York Southern District Naomi Reice Buchwald gave her ruling on a petition filed by a group of seven followers who alleged that president Trump unlawfully barred them from viewing his feed.
As such the court was asked to consider whether a public official may, consistent with the First Amendment, “block” a person from his Twitter account in response to the political views that person has expressed, and whether the analysis differs because that public official is the US President.
“The answer to both questions is no,” Buchwald said in her 75-page judgement.
“The viewpoint-based exclusion of the individual plaintiffs from that designated public forum is proscribed by the First Amendment and cannot be justified by the President’s personal First Amendment interests,” the judge said. The ruling was welcomed by the petitioners.
