Stanford Scientists Win Landmark Case Against US Government Censorship of Covid-19 Declaration

Kolkata-born professor Jay Bhattacharya and his team of scientists from Stanford University have achieved a significant legal victory in a censorship case against the US government. The case stems from their publication of The Great Barrington Declaration during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which called for an end to economic lockdowns. The Declaration, co-authored by Bhattacharya, Harvard University professor Martin Kulldorff, and Oxford University epidemiologist Sunetra Gupta, argued that lockdowns disproportionately harmed the young and economically disadvantaged while offering limited benefits to society as a whole. Instead, they advocated for a focused protection approach, implementing stringent measures to protect high-risk populations while allowing lower-risk individuals to resume normal activities with reasonable precautions.

Numerous doctors and public health scientists signed this statement. However, the proposal was met with strong opposition from government officials, including renowned infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, who sought to suppress the Declaration on social media platforms. Google/YouTube, Reddit, and Facebook promptly censored any mention of the Declaration. Even Twitter blacklisted Bhattacharya for tweeting a link to the document, as revealed by The Free Press. This censorship of scientific dissent prompted Bhattacharya to fight back against the government's violation of free speech rights during the pandemic. Bhattacharya's parents, who grew up in poverty in Kolkata, instilled in him a deep appreciation for the importance of free speech. He never expected that an American government would attempt to infringe upon this fundamental right, nor did he imagine becoming a target himself.

However, due to the growing pushback against government censorship, Bhattacharya joined the legal battle against the Biden administration alongside Missouri and Louisiana attorneys generals. Represented by the New Civil Liberties Alliance, their aim was to end the government's involvement in suppressing free speech and restore the rights of all Americans in the digital public sphere. Bhattacharya emphasizes his apolitical stance and dedication to providing truthful information based on data, regardless of political affiliations. Yet, during the pandemic, he experienced smear campaigns and the removal of his viewpoints on various social networks, highlighting the erosion of free speech rights in a country he deeply loves.

The legal victory achieved earlier this year resulted in a preliminary injunction against the government's coercion of social media companies to censor protected speech. Although an administrative stay was issued, a three-judge panel at the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit unanimously restored a modified version of the injunction. The court's decision reflects concerns about the government's pressure campaign, stating that it goes beyond harming individual plaintiffs and affects all social media users. In his concluding remarks, Bhattacharya emphasizes the importance of holding an overreaching government accountable for violating sacred rights. He warns that without vigilant citizens, these rights may be lost. The victory in this censorship case represents a crucial step towards safeguarding free speech and ensuring that scientific dissent can contribute to public discourse.