Maricopa County libraries under fire for not practicing what they preach

A county spokesperson confirmed that they had unblocked all affected accounts.

PUBLISHED OCT 9, 2024

The Arizona Department of Education, in response to the findings, also agreed to unblock accounts.

Phoenix, Arizona: The Maricopa County Library District has come under fire after blocking several critics on social media, despite publicly opposing book bans and censorship.

The District has been actively using its official Facebook page to share videos that criticize efforts to ban books on sensitive topics, including LGBTQ issues and sexual education. But in a hypocritical twist, A new 'Arizona’s Family Investigates' report discovered that the library district reportedly blocked three social media accounts, including that of a vocal critic who had been challenging their stance.

One of the blocked individuals operates a website called 'Safe Libraries', which supports initiatives to ban books deemed controversial. Dan Kleinman pointed out to 'Arizona's Family' the inconsistency in the library district's behavior, emphasizing the importance of public institutions being open to all sides of an issue: "It is absolutely important, it is vital to America, that public agencies hear all sides of the issue," he said.

The controversy gains further significance in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling in March, which stated that public officials could be sued for blocking individuals on social media, potentially violating their First Amendment rights.

The investigation found that 10 county departments collectively blocked at least 52 accounts on social media platforms. While some accounts were identified as spam, others raised concerns due to their political nature. Notably, the county’s flood control district's Spanish account blocked 40 accounts, primarily targeting outspoken conservative voices, as well as one that supported a Democrat.

A county spokesperson confirmed to Arizona's Family that they had unblocked all affected accounts and provided new guidance to staff. "Maricopa County does not condone the blocking of any accounts by our department’s social media team. This is against current policy and is in no way how we intend to interact with the public," the spokesperson stated.

The Arizona Department of Education, in response to the findings, also agreed to unblock accounts. However, the City of Phoenix announced that it would continue to block accounts that violate its terms of use, adding that it does not keep records of why specific users are blocked.