Free Speech
Trump Bans A.P. From Oval Office for Not Saying 'Gulf of America'
A dust-up over geographical nomenclature is silly, but it signals the Trump administration's hostility to the First Amendment and freedom of the press.
No Domestic Violence Restraining Order Based on Allegations of "Gaslighting"
"Lily accused Gunther of 'Gaslighting' (underscoring omitted) by denying he suffered from steroid-induced rages during their marriage and denying Lily's contributions to Gunther's career success."
"Bloggers, Xers, Facebookers, YouTubers, Instagrammers, and Others" Have Right of Access to Court Proceedings,
including the right to videorecord, given that state law (unlike federal law) provides for such videorecording for the mainstream media; so holds the Ohio Chief Justice.
Life, Liberty, and the Right To Shitpost
Generative AI is a powerful tool for creativity and speech. Efforts to censor, regulate, and control it threaten America's tradition of open discourse.
Journal of Free Speech Law: "Beyond the Editorial Analogy: First Amendment Protections for Platform Content Moderation After Moody v. NetChoice,"
by Kyle Langvardt & Alan Z. Rozenshtein.
Liking Post That Contains Porn Deepfake Can Lead to Liability, Court Says in Megan Thee Stallion Lawsuit
At least this is so when defendant "also ... allegedly directed viewers of her post to click on her 'Likes' page where the video had been archived" (not clear what the judge would have thought if the case involved solely the "like").
Megan Thee Stallion's Defamation Lawsuit Against "Online Personality" "Milagro Gramz or Mobz World" Can Go Forward
Plus, does speech about a celebrity become "intentional infliction of emotional distress" when the celebrity is known to have been "trauma[tized]" by a violent crime?
Trump Is Flat-Out Lying About the 60 Minutes Interview With Harris
The full transcript shows the president's complaints about the editing of the interview are not just wildly hyperbolic and legally groundless. They are demonstrably false.
"Title VI Must Be Applied Consistent with First Amendment Principles"
A federal district court discusses how the First Amendment limits liability for "hostile environment harassment" based on "speech on matters of public concern" in universities (public or private). And the reasoning may extend to Title VII liability on workplaces as well.
How the FCC's 'Warrior for Free Speech' Became Our Censor in Chief
Brendan Carr has a clear record of threatening to suppress constitutionally protected speech.
Nico Perrino: What the Trump-Musk Alliance Means for Free Speech
FIRE’s executive V.P. discusses the Biden administration's failures, Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s influence on free speech, and the most pressing First Amendment issues facing the U.S. today.
Paramount Shouldn't Fold to Trump
Settling Trump’s CBS lawsuit won’t buy peace—it will sell out press freedom.
No, Elon: It Isn't Illegal To Boycott X
Elon Musk sues seven more companies for pulling advertising from his platform.
No One-Sided Pseudonymity in Case Against Political Candidate Alleging Revenge Porn
“Plaintiff has not conducted this litigation as though it involves matters of a highly sensitive and personal nature—instead, she would cloak herself in pseudonymity, and the protections it affords, while publicly lobbing allegations at Defendant by name.”
The University of Tennessee Nearly Expelled a Student for Racy Tweets, Now Agrees To Pay Her $250,000
The settlement vindicates Kimberly Diei's First Amendment right to comment on sexually explicit rap songs without suffering government retaliation.
Trump "Global Gag Rule" as to Abortion Likely Doesn't Violate the First Amendment
That's because it apparently covers only grants to foreign organizations operating abroad, and a 2020 Supreme Court decision generally held that the First Amendment doesn't apply in such situations.
Settlement in Heartbeat of Miami v. Jane's Revenge Pro-Life Pregnancy Center Vandalism Lawsuit
The settlement of the civil case follows guilty pleas or convictions in related criminal cases.
Mother Convicted of "Unlawful Posting of a Message" for Website Sharply Criticizing Woman Who Accused Mother's Son of Rape
The Michigan Court of Appeals just upheld the conviction, under a statute that requires showing of purpose to (among other things) "harass[]" or "molest[]," and reason to know that third parties would send the target unwanted and "harass[ing]" or "molest[ing]" messages. The statute doesn't require any showing that the accusations were false.
Devin Nunes Loses Defamation Appeal Against Ryan Lizza and Esquire
Nunes and his family's farm can't sufficiently show damages, so the court doesn't have to reach any of the other elements of defamation.
Trump's Orders Feature Nonexistent Emergencies, Illegal Power Grabs, and Blatant Inconsistencies
But at least he restored respect for a tariff-loving predecessor by renaming a mountain.
Rand Paul: Banning TikTok Is 'Group Hysteria'
"Every day I confront a bill that wants to ban another Chinese company," the Kentucky senator tells Reason.
State 'Bias Response Hotlines' Encourage People To Snitch on Their Neighbors for 'Hate Speech'
By the end of 2025, as many as 100 million Americans could live in a state where they can be reported for protected expression.
Calling Someone "White Supremacist" in Online Debate Is Opinion …
and thus not actionable defamation, unless defendant "implies undisclosed facts by insinuating that the plaintiff" engaged in specific racist acts or made (undisclosed) racist statements.
