Meta Platforms has successfully defeated an appeal by Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., challenging the company’s censorship of Facebook posts spreading vaccine misinformation. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Meta, as a private company, has a First Amendment right to restrict content it finds objectionable.
Children’s Health Defense had claimed Meta violated its constitutional rights by flagging their posts as false and restricting their advertising on Facebook. The court dismissed these claims, noting Meta’s actions aligned with its stance that vaccines are safe and effective.
Meta removed the group’s accounts from Facebook and Instagram in August 2022. Although disappointed, Children’s Health Defense is considering its legal options.