No Preliminary Injunction Against Alleged Political Campaign Libel, Rules Federal Judge
Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson was trying to block ads that criticized her and allegedly defamed her.
Free Speech
Condemning Extreme Rhetoric, NYT Columnist Says Conservative Pundits Incite Murder
Jim Rutenberg's indictment of "the Incitement Industry" charges right-wing provocateurs with complicity in violence.
In Europe and in Pakistan, Two Women Are Condemned for Insulting Muhammad
Anti-hate speech laws have gone too far.
Fourth Circuit Rejects Gag Order on Parties and Potential Witnesses, in Murphy-Brown Hog Farm Litigation
"Whatever differences the parties and their supporters have, they possess in common a passionate First Amendment interest in debating their futures. It seems very wrong that a court would take that from them."
Are We in a New Era of Political Violence?: Podcast
Are we all just living through Elon Musk's dystopian simulation?
Ready to Get Off Facebook? Reason Reviews 5 Alternative Social Networks.
Facebook, Twitter, and other mainstream social networks have their issues. Are these 5 platforms viable alternatives?
Trump's Rhetoric Is Divisive, Contemptible, Un-Presidential. It's Also Not Responsible for the Synagogue Shooting.
Killers are responsible for their actions and the leap from rhetoric to action, along with all the blood they shed, is on their hands alone.
Gab Dumped by Tech Companies Over Synagogue Shooter Posts but Twitter, Facebook, and Other Social-Media Giants Get a Pass: Reason Roundup
Plus: Brazil's worrisome new president, the long-tail of the housing crisis, and Brett Kavanaugh's replacement
Mail Bomber Cesar Sayoc Threatened Me on Facebook
How it happened and what (if anything) we can learn from such cases.
European Court: OK to Criminalize Calling Mohammed a Pedophile
That's part of a broader doctrine under which European countries are still allowed to punish blasphemy.
European Court: Woman's Criticism of Muhammad Doesn't Count as Free Expression
Her statements may have been offensive. But that doesn't mean she shouldn't have a right to make them.
Injunction Against "Harassing" Online Speech Struck Down on First Amendment Grounds
"We cannot adopt the trial court's preference to treat a [personal protection order], which in this case is a prior restraint on ... speech, as a means 'to help supplement the rules that we all live in society by.' The First Amendment ... demands that we not treat such speech-based injunctions so lightly."
Does the First Amendment Protect a Presumptive Right to Access Criminal Court Records?
The Colorado Supreme Court said "no" -- eleven federal circuits and many state high courts say "yes" -- the Supreme Court is being asked to review the case.
9 Months in Prison for Forging Court Orders Aimed at Vanishing Online Material
"Arnstein ... submitted the counterfeit orders, which appeared to be valid on their face, to Google and requested that Google de-index the websites containing the purportedly defamatory information."
Teacher Disciplined for "Bullying" Student Who Had Put Up a Swastika
More than a year later, an arbitrator held the discipline was largely (though not entirely) improper.
Secret Gag Order on Lawyers in Ohio Capital Murder Trial—Supported by Secret Arguments
Kind of like with the turtles, it's seals all the way down. [UPDATE: The local publicity appears to have led the court to unseal the gag order -- so now we know what people aren't allowed to talk about, though they're still not allowed to talk about it.]
Trump Beat Stormy Daniels' Defamation Claim With a Law Aimed at Rich Bullies Like Him
The president, who routinely threatens to sue people for saying things he does not like, deployed an anti-SLAPP law in his own defense.
Facebook Slams Independent Voices With Latest Political Purge
It's time to move beyond the social media giants to a more decentralized world that's harder to control
After Police Detention for National Anthem Disrespect, Chinese Online Star Admits She 'Hurt Your Feelings'
Under Chinese law, disrespecting the national anthem is punishable by up to 15 days in jail.
Don't Take Too Much Comfort From Surveys Showing Widespread Opposition to "Political Correctness"
Many who oppose "political correctness" also support a variety of specific types of censorship.
Libertarian and Police Accountability Pages Deleted in Facebook Purge
Hundreds of pages and accounts have been purged over accusations that they were "inauthentic." The page operators disagree.
Writer Stephen Elliott Sues Over 'Shitty Media Men' Spreadsheet: Reason Roundup
Plus: libertarian accounts purged from Facebook?
Jamal Khashoggi Disappearance Doesn't Seem to Faze White House: Reason Roundup
Plus: Kavanaugh and Gorsuch differ during immigration case.
"Little State Weasel" and the First Amendment
An interesting dissent from denial of review by Texas's high court for criminal cases.
U.K.'s Top Court Sides with Baker in Gay Cake Case
No, a baker cannot be compelled to "support gay marriage" with frosting.
Partisans United Against Free Speech
The culture of free speech has been deteriorating for long enough that politics, sadly and predictably, is catching up.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Free Speech Warrior?
The former president of Iran, who once banned Twitter, discovers the joys of social media.
Facebook Hack Another Warning Sign Against Online Centralization
The bigger the company, the bigger the target.
Sugar Babies, Sexual Assault Claims, Takedown Demands, and Microaggressions
All together, in a Minnesota Court of Appeals decision handed down today.
Did Saudi Arabia Murder This Expat Journalist for Criticizing the Government?
Jamal Khashoggi visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last week. He hasn't been seen since.
Woman Alleges Police Demanded She Remove Anti-Kavanaugh Sign
The Hamilton, Texas City Manager, claims the police didn't threaten her or forcibly remove the sign, but that "a police member visited the owner's home, and the owner asked the officer to take the sign."
Pro-Marijuana Activist Banned from Part of State Capitol for Quoting Racist Rationales for Marijuana Ban
Friday, a federal district judge issued an injunction against the ban.
Public Transit Can't Ban "Disparaging" Ads
So the Ninth Circuit held, applying the reasoning from the Slants case (Matal v. Tam).
Do Laws Requiring People to Report Crimes Violate the First Amendment?
The logic of a recent Second Circuit decision suggests that they do.
The Marine Le Pen Case Shows That Supposedly Enlightened France Treats Political Speech As a Crime and a Symptom of Mental Illness
The right-wing politician faces prosecution and psychiatric examination for posting pictures of ISIS atrocities.
Texas Attorney General Ignores 75 Years of Supreme Court Rulings Trying to Force a Student to Stand for the Pledge
The irony is that she's protesting authoritarian police behavior.
Minnesota Star Tribune Seeking to Unseal Rep. Keith Ellison's Divorce Records
A conservative publication had already filed such a motion; Ellison is the candidate for Minnesota Attorney General, and Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Twitter Implementing European-Style Hate Speech Bans
Will it stop toxic behavior or just encourage more demands for censorship?
Criminal Libel Prosecution -- Under a Statute Struck Down 30 Years Before
A woman's case against the defendants who arranged the prosecution (a police department captain, who was her ex-husband and the target of her speech, and his friend who was a police investigator) can go forward.
Faisal Al Mutar Fights Radical Islam with Western Bestsellers
The head of Ideas Beyond Borders is translating books by Steven Pinker, Sam Harris, and others into Arabic and distributing them for free.
Birth Mother Ordered Not to Post Photo of Deceased Adopted Child
When she did post such a photo, she was arrested and prosecuted -- a remarkable case from two years ago, which I just learned about.
Government Boycotts Based on Companies' (and Their Employees') Speech
More on their unconstitutionality.
