Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Google Over Alleged Online Suppression

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A man who sued Google for allegedly working with the Vatican and U.S. government to suppress the visibility of his website and social media accounts had his 12-count complaint dismissed by a federal court. The judge ruled that Google, as a private company, is not subject to First Amendment claims, and that the plaintiff's other legal arguments, including common carrier and religious freedom claims, also failed to state a valid case.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges individuals face in holding large tech platforms accountable for content moderation decisions, even when they feel their online speech or religious expression is being suppressed. The ruling affirms that private companies like Google are generally not bound by the First Amendment, absent a very high bar for proving they are 'state actors' working in coordination with the government.

The details

Thomas Richards, who runs the website 'SpirituallySmart.com' for his biblical ministry, alleged that Google worked with the Vatican and U.S. government to limit the visibility of his online content. However, the court found his claims of government coordination with Google to be 'far too speculative' to transform the tech company into a state actor subject to constitutional claims. The judge also rejected Richards' arguments that Google should be treated as a common carrier, and dismissed his state law claims as barred by statutes of limitations and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

• The lawsuit was filed in February 2025.
• The court issued its ruling dismissing the case on February 9, 2026.

What’s next

Richards has the option to appeal the court's dismissal of his lawsuit against Google.