In a groundbreaking legal challenge, Ty and Charlene Bollinger, the founders of The Truth About Cancer and The Truth About Vaccines, have filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the U.S. government, Big Tech companies, and NGOs in the United States District Court in Nashville, Tennessee. The lawsuit accuses these entities of forming a "Censorship Industrial Complex" that systematically suppressed dissenting voices, including the Bollingers', under the guise of combating "misinformation."
Bollingers stood for truth in the face of defamation and censorship
The Bollingers, whose work has garnered tens of millions of views and whose book, The Truth About Cancer, is a New York Times bestseller, were labeled as part of the infamous "Disinformation Dozen" in 2021. This designation, created by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) at the U.S. government's behest, was used by Big Tech platforms like Meta, Google, and Twitter to suppress their content, resulting in severe financial and reputational harm.
The lawsuit, filed as Cancer Step Outside the Box, LLC (Ty and Charlene Bollinger) versus multiple defendants, alleges that federal agencies like the Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and FBI collaborated with NGOs and Big Tech platforms to suppress dissenting opinions and elevate the government's preferred narratives. This "censorship by substitution" not only silenced opposition but also monopolized public discourse, allowing powerful institutions to dictate the boundaries of acceptable speech.
"This case is about much more than us—it's about the erosion of our most fundamental freedoms," said Charlene Bollinger. "The government, NGOs, and Big Tech colluded to silence dissenting voices, labeling truth as 'misinformation' and depriving the public of open debate."
The complaint, a comprehensive 281-page document, names several U.S. government departments and agencies, NGOs, and tech giants as defendants. It aims to expose the depths of the "Censorship Industrial Complex," a system where federal agencies, NGOs, and Big Tech companies work in tandem to suppress free speech and control public discourse.
The Bollinger's lawsuit is similar to the one initiated by NaturalNews on Memorial Day 2024, naming the perpetrators, seeking remediation, and defending the First Amendment for all.
Federal government and NGOs created derogatory blacklists and conspired to destroy the truth from public discourse
The Bollingers' lawsuit highlights how NGOs like CCDH, often at the government's request, created derogatory "blacklists" labeling individuals and organizations as sources of "misinformation." These labels were then amplified by social media platforms, leading to the down ranking, removal, or algorithmic burying of flagged content while promoting the government's preferred narratives.
"This is not merely an attack on free speech, it is a calculated manipulation of economic power, where Big Tech's anti-competitive interests align with the Government's desire to snuff out dissent," the complaint states. "Together, they have monopolized the Internet's digital information markets, conveniently shielded from accountability by Government's own misinterpretation of Section 230."
The case underscores the broader implications of this collusion, highlighting how it not only erodes free speech but also undermines the very foundations of a free society. If the Government eradicates the First Amendment, the Bollingers warn, what follows will be the erosion of other fundamental rights.
"This Court simply cannot fail in its duty here, too much is at stake," the complaint concludes. "The Plaintiffs were at the epicenter of Defendants’ 'Disinformation Dozen' censorship blacklist, and this lawsuit addresses the Government’s aim to eradicate dissenting voices."
The lawsuit stands as a vital opposition to tyranny on a global scale, highlighting the urgent need to hold powerful entities accountable for their actions and restore the integrity of the digital information marketplace. It seeks to ensure that all Americans have the right to share and access ideas without fear of suppression.
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