# 4th Circuit Rebukes Trump Administration for Asking LinkedIn To Turn Over Info on Critics in the News Media

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/4th-circuit-rebukes-trump-administration-for-asking-linkedin-to-turn-over-info-on-critics-in-the-news-media/
- Published: 2026-11-11T20:32:20+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T21:33:42+00:00
- Original publisher: Reason (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://reason.com/2026/11/11/4th-circuit-rebukes-trump-administration-for-asking-linkedin-to-turn-over-info-on-critics-in-the-news-media/
- Topics: Government, Politics

## Key points

- Appeals court rejects broad Justice Department demands for LinkedIn data.
- The request covered 18 months of journalists’ metadata.
- The court cited risks to confidential sources and press freedom.

## Summary

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the Justice Department’s orders compelling LinkedIn to disclose journalists’ records were substantially overbroad and infringed First Amendment rights. The decision matters because it recognises that secret demands for digital records can threaten press freedom and that a platform may challenge orders affecting its users.

The investigation concerns an unnamed article about a purportedly top-secret US military operation abroad. The government sought 18 months of metadata, including information about people who interacted with six LinkedIn users; a report said the demand covered about 1,900 interactions. The court said the order could expose confidential sources and other users with no apparent connection to the investigation, while a separate order barred LinkedIn from disclosing the demand for a year.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.