Social media is a powerful tool, especially for politicians. It gives them a direct link to their constituents, without the need to hold news conferences or issue formal statements. It also allows the constituents to express their views and provides direct access to their elected official.
But with that direct access can come unwanted criticism or inappropriate comments. Politicians can respond to those commenters by blocking their access to the official’s page, preventing the users from viewing new posts or commenting on issues.
Last month, a federal judge ruled President Trump could not block Twitter users from his account. The court said blocking followers can be considered a violation of a person’s first amendment rights.
NBC7 Investigates found a quarter of San Diego County’s elected officials have blocked accounts on Facebook and Twitter.
Source: Local Politicians Blocking Access to Social Media Accounts | NBC 7 San Diego