By Lyrissa Lidsky (May 31, 2018, 12:44 PM EDT) -- May a public official block a person from responding directly to the official's social media posts because the official disagrees with the views expressed? That was the question in a federal district court case decided last week. President Donald J. Trump uses his Twitter account for a variety of purposes: to make announcements of executive decisions and policies; to bypass traditional media to speak directly to citizens; to mock those who oppose him; and to interact with the public. More than 52 million people follow Trump on Twitter, and his tweets — numbering almost 38,000 at this point — have spurred vigorous discussion among those who follow his Twitter feed. A typical Trump tweet generates thousands of replies, some of which generate thousands more....