A federal judge has fined Twitter $350,000 for delaying compliance with a search warrant for former President Donald Trump's account.
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| Former President Donald Trump's Twitter account was "permanently suspended" in January 2021. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) |
The warrant was issued in January 2023 by a grand jury in the District of Columbia. It sought information about Trump's tweets and other activity on Twitter leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Twitter initially resisted complying with the warrant, arguing that it was protected by the First Amendment. However, a federal judge rejected that argument in February 2023.
Twitter then complied with the warrant, but it did so with a delay of three days. The judge found that this delay was "willful and contumacious" and fined Twitter $350,000.
This is the first time that Twitter has been fined for violating a search warrant. The fine is a significant victory for the Justice Department, which is investigating Trump's role in the January 6 attack.
The fine is also a reminder of the importance of social media companies complying with law enforcement requests. When these companies refuse to comply, it can make it more difficult for law enforcement to investigate crimes and protect public safety.
It is unclear whether Twitter will appeal the fine. However, the company is likely to face additional scrutiny from law enforcement in the future.
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