Institute asks Trump to unblock his Twitter critics

The letter demanded the prolific tweeter unblock certain Twitter users on grounds the practice violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Photo / AP

A free-speech institute has sent a letter to US President Donald Trump demanding the prolific tweeter unblock certain Twitter users on grounds the practice violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

Trump's @realDonaldTrump account recently blocked a number of accounts that replied to his tweets with commentary that criticised, mocked or disagreed with his actions. Twitter users are unable to see or respond to tweets from accounts that block them.

The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in New York said in its letter that the blocking suppressed speech in a public forum protected by the Constitution.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Twitter said it had no comment.

Alex Abdo, the institute's senior staff attorney, likened Twitter to a modern form of town hall meetings or public comment periods for government agency proposals, both venues where US law requires even-handed treatment of speech.

Eric Goldman, a Santa Clara University law professor who focuses on internet law, said that previous cases involving politicians blocking users on Facebook supported the Knight Institute's position.

If the institute should sue, Trump could claim his @realDonaldTrump account is for personal use and separate from his official duties as President, Goldman said.

But he called that defence "laughable".

Trump also has a presidential @POTUS Twitter account. The Knight Institute said its arguments would apply with "equal force" to both accounts.