George F. Will: Behold, the separation of powers might actually be working

George F. Will argues that a key check in the separation of powers may be functioning as intended after a court ruling limited a push to treat social-media moderation as government action. The dispute centered on First Amendment protections and proposed legislation by Texas Republican Ted Cruz and Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden to curb “jawboning,” or government efforts to influence speech without formal coercion. The coverage references executive-branch pressure on platforms during the COVID-19 period, including aims related to “content moderation” and COVID-19 narratives. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appellate decision, ruling plaintiffs lacked standing because they failed to show a causal link between federal demands and platform actions. Will contrasts the majority’s approach with dissent arguments by Justice Samuel Alito.