The Inside Story of Murthy v. Missouri: How the Government Pressured Social Media

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA Senior Litigation Counsel John Vecchione and NCLA General Counsel Zhonette Brown discuss their work on Murthy v. Missouri, one of the most significant First Amendment cases in recent years.

They explain how the case began, the discovery battles that revealed government “back-channel” communications with social media companies, the preliminary injunction, the Supreme Court’s standing decision, and the consent decree that followed. They also discuss what the government agreed to in the settlement and what it could mean for free speech and government involvement with online platforms in the future.

This conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the case unfolded over several years—and why its outcome could shape First Amendment law in the years ahead.