ACLU of RI, Smithfield agree to social media-blocking settlement

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island and the town of Smithfield have settled a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of a Smithfield resident who was blocked by school district-related X/Twitter accounts.

According to the U.S District Court agreement, Daniel Mayer, who was blocked from viewing the accounts of Smithfield School District Superintendent Dawn Bartz and Smithfield schools, will be unblocked by the accounts’ administrators.

All other Twitter users blocked by the accounts will also be unblocked as part of the settlement, and no further blocks will be placed on accounts “based on First Amendment-protected viewpoints expressed.”

The defendants, Bartz, Smithfield Finance Director Caitlyn Choiniere and the Town of Smithfield, also agreed to drop their “pre-approval” requirements employed to grant users access to the accounts.

The defendants also agreed to pay the plaintiffs’ legal fees in the case, totaling $12,000.

The lawsuit was originally filed on June 9.