U.S. Supreme Court Casts Doubt on Social Media Ban for Sex Offenders

On Monday, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in a North Carolina case in which a convicted sex offender was charged with violating a state law that bars registered offenders from using social media sites that allow children, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The measure was meant to bring into the digital age longstanding laws that prevented sex offenders from being near playgrounds or schools. But at least five of the eight sitting justices indicated that they would strike down the law for violating First Amendment rights. Justice Elena Kagan noted that Twitter in particular has become a “crucially important channel of political communication,” Bloombergreports, with every state governor, member of Congress, and even President Donald Trump actively using the site to interact with constituents.