Friend –

Has your state senator deleted a comment you made on their official Facebook page? Or has your congressional representative blocked you from their official Twitter account?

Official social media accounts of elected and government officials are generally considered public forums. That means that the elected official could be violating your free speech rights if they block you or delete your comments on their official page just because they don't agree with you.

The ACLU of Iowa has just released a guide to help.

The step-by-step guide outlines the following process:

• Documentation: Take photos, or screenshots of the social media account that you were blocked from engaging with, or that deleted your posts. Try to document your posts leading up to being blocked, as well as any communications, notifications, or messages about your post(s), and the decision to block you or remove your posts.
• Confirmation: Follow the flowchart in the materials to determine if your constitutional rights may have been violated.
• Take action: If you determine your rights may have been violated, contact the elected official via phone or email and ask to be unblocked. If you receive no response, download and personalize our template demand letter and send it to the elected official.
• Request assistance: If you send a letter and receive no response from the elected official after 30 days, contact the ACLU of Iowa by emailing [email protected].

ACLU of Iowa