Jared Taylor, the head of race realist and "affirmative right" website American Renaissance, had his Twitter account banned in December, even though he has always conducted himself like a true Southern gentleman and never said or tweeted anything hateful.
Now it seems that Taylor has won a major legal victory for free speech after filing a case in the state Superior Court of San Francisco, arguing that Twitter violated Californian law protecting free speech in public spaces.
Incidentally these laws were originally passed to protect Commie scumbags from being deplatformed in the 1960s.
Incidentally these laws were originally passed to protect Commie scumbags from being deplatformed in the 1960s.
On Gab, where Taylor has been "in exile" from Twitter, he 'tweeted':
From one of our lawyers: Judge ruled that "Twitter may be held liable for false representations that it would not censor user content."
and
"This is the first time that a social media company's argument that it has a First Amendment right to ban users from a platform for their viewpoints has been rejected by a court."
***********UPDATE 15th June***********
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY AMERICAN RENAISSANCE
June 15, 2018 - Yesterday, California Superior Court Judge Harold E. Kahn rejected Twitter’s petition to dismiss the suit Jared Taylor brought against Twitter for banning his Twitter account and that of his organization, American Renaissance. The judge also rejected Twitter’s motion under California’s Anti-SLAPP law to strike the complaint, adding that it was “hard to imagine a clearer public interest lawsuit.”
Judge Kahn described Taylor’s complaint as “very eloquent,” adding that “it goes to the heart of free speech principles that long precede our constitution.”
Judge Kahn recognized Taylor’s claim under California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL) that Twitter could be, in effect, guilty of false advertising by holding itself out as a public forum for free speech while reserving the right to ban the expression of ideas with which it disagrees. Judge Kahn also recognized Taylor’s claim under the UCL that Twitter’s terms of service—according to which it claims the right to ban any user any time for any reason—may well be “unconscionable,” and a violation of the law.
In oral argument, Judge Kahn asked: “Twitter can discriminate on the basis of religion, or gender, or sexual preference, or physical disability, or mental disability?” Counsel for Twitter conceded that it claimed that right—even thought it would never exercise it. Judge Kahn denied that Twitter has such a right.
This is the first time censorship by a social media platform—an increasingly widespread practice seen by many as discrimination against conservative viewpoints—has been found actionable under state or federal law. This finding could have far-reaching consequences for other internet platforms that have become essential vehicles for the expression of ideas but that silence voices with which they disagree.
Twitter now has 30 days to answer Taylor’s claims.
Jared Taylor and American Renaissance are represented by Washington, D.C., attorney Noah Peters, Michigan State University law professor Adam Candeub, and prominent free speech advocate Marc Randazza.
The hearing transcript is available here. Coverage by Bloomberg can be found here.
American Renaissance is very grateful to its readers and supporters who have helped fund the suit thus far. This case is long from over. We still need your help. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution in support of Taylor v. Twitter. Be sure to leave a comment indicating your donation is for the lawsuit.
