ACLU of Indiana says Boone County blocked resident from its Facebook page, lawsuit filed

BOONE COUNTY — The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana is suing Boone County after they say the county blocked a resident from their Facebook page after he posted a comment.

Filed on behalf of Kevin Dininger, the lawsuit alleges the County violated the First Amendment and the actions represent viewpoint-based discrimination.

The lawsuit says Dininger commented on a Facebook post saying that he intended to vote for a challenger who was running to become a Boone County commissioner instead of the incumbents.

"The County responded swiftly to Mr. Dininger’s comment by limiting or disabling any comments on the post, an act that had the effect of deleting Mr. Dinginer’s comment," the lawsuit read.

The lawsuit alleges that Dininger then made a post to his personal Facebook page about the matter and after that, the County blocked him from the page altogether.

"The County’s action in blocking Mr. Dininger from its Facebook page unjustifiably impinges on Mr. Dininger’s rights under the First Amendment," the lawsuit states.

On Tuesday, the Boone County Commissioners said in a statement that an internal investigation has been launched. You can read their full statement below.

"The Boone County Commissioners have received a complaint from the ACLU and take these allegations very seriously. A thorough internal investigation has been launched into the matter. Updates will be provided and a response will be issued at the conclusion of this investigation. The Commissioners are strong proponents of the First Amendment and believe in everyone's right to free speech."