Lawsuit Challenges Moderation on Monmouth County Sheriff’s Facebook Page
Plaintiff alleges comments critical of officials were hidden from public view.
A new civil lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Monmouth County raises questions about how the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office moderates comments on its official Facebook page and whether those practices violate state constitutional free-speech protections.
The case1, brought by Laurie Tietjen against the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Shaun Golden, alleges that her comments on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page were selectively restricted or hidden from public view through a practice commonly described as “shadowbanning,” while remaining visible to her when she was logged into her account.