On September 6, 2024, the ACLU of Kansas sent a letter to Shawnee City Councilman Tony Gillette following reports from Shawnee residents who had their comments on the "Tony Gillette for Shawnee" Facebook page deleted or had their access to the page restricted. This letter sought to inform Mr. Gillette about the status of free speech law regarding public officials’ social media accounts and the ways in which he may be violating constituents’ rights to free speech and to petition the government under the First Amendment and section 11 of the Kansas Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
Under Supreme Court rulings, it is unconstitutional to delete comments or block users from a social media page operating in aan official capacity.
