Aella: Is Porn Too Pervasive?
The former OnlyFans star and outspoken libertarian defender of sex workers considers the acceleration of government crackdowns on online porn, the sexual revolution, and sex work.
Free Speech
Amicus Briefs in Volokh v. James, the Second Circuit Case Related to Social Media "Hate Speech" Policies
"For the most part, the American Civil Liberties Union, Young Americans for Freedom, and the Babylon Bee don't see eye to eye."
#TheyLied Plaintiff Suing for Defamation Over Sexual Misconduct Accusations Can't Use Subpoena to Unmask Pro-Defendant GoFundMe Organizers
"The subpoena is ... a classic ‘fishing expedition’ in constitutionally protected waters.”
Records of Library Removal Requests, Like Other Library User Records, Are Exempt from State Public Records Law
The case stemmed from user challenges asking that a public library remove Gender Queer: A Memoir, or at least keep children from getting it.
No California Bar Discipline for Lawyer Who Tweeted "They Should Be Shooting the Looters" and "Shoot the Protesters"
"Respondent presented this court with a credible and reasonable interpretation of the meaning behind her words, i.e., that she posted the above-noted tweets as an expression of her anger, fear, and frustration with the violence taking place around her and in disagreement with some of the sentiments she saw being expressed by others on Twitter."
Yascha Mounk: Avoiding The Identity Trap
How to battle identity politics and defend liberal values of universalism, free speech, and open inquiry
Is There Too Much Porn?
Join Reason on YouTube and Facebook at 1 p.m. Eastern this Thursday for a discussion with Aella about the escalating government crackdown on online porn, the sexual revolution, and sex work.
Idaho Man Sued For Defamation After Speaking Out Against Local Airstrip
Critics have argued the legal action is a meritless SLAPP suit.
Defenders of the Florida and Texas Social Media Laws Contradict Themselves
If Facebook et al. are pushing a "radical leftist narrative," why don’t they have a constitutional right to do that?
Supreme Court Will Consider Cases Challenging Florida and Texas Social Media Laws
The laws require major social media platforms to host content they disapprove of for substantive reasons.
On Guns, Drugs, and National Security, Dianne Feinstein Was Consistently Authoritarian
The late California senator always seemed to err on the side of more government power and less individual freedom.
Government Employee / Political Candidate's Advertising Gun Raffle for Election Campaign May Be Protected by the First Amendment
"Defendants' argument, which attempts to draw an ill-defined connection between a lawful gun raffle hosted on social media, and obviously tragic and unlawful mass shootings at schools, remains predicated upon numerous, dubious inferences ...—if not upon rank speculation."
"Odd," "Unnerv[ing]," "Disturbing," Comments, Post, and Letter to Politician Weren't "True Threats"
"[E]ccentricity and being off-putting is not a criminal offense," even when the speaker mentions the listener's children and other personal details.
Federal Judge Rules Texas Anti-Drag Law Violates the First Amendment
The judge ruled that the law was unconstitutionally overbroad, vague, and viewpoint discrimination.
India's Alleged Assassination of a Dissident in Canada Highlights Repression Across Borders
No place is truly safe for dissidents when governments see no limits to their authority.
Fifth Circuit Panel Reconsidering Part of Its Missouri v. Biden Decision
[UPDATE: Don't blog when tired or in a hurry! I regret to say the original post erroneously said the Fifth Circuit granted rehearing en banc -- the panel just granted panel rehearing, and I've corrected the post accordingly. My apologies for the error.]
Foreigners: When You File in U.S. Courts, You Should Expect U.S. Rules of Public Access to Your Filings
"Plaintiff states that he was not aware that his complaint would be made public, and he suggests that, under Korean law, the personal information of litigants is not made public." But "[w]hether or not he intended to do so, by initiating this action in a United States District Court, Plaintiff has made his name a matter of public record."
Court Refuses to Dismiss Lawsuit Stemming from Parent's Speech About COVID Policies
The parent's comments at a school board meeting led to a "no trespass notice" that blocked him from school district premises (apparently including his children's school).
Houston Police Arrested an Animal Rights Protester and Detained Him for 16 Hours, Lawsuit Says
Daraius Dubash was arrested for peacefully protesting in a public park.
Federal Judge Declines To Stop Drag Show Ban at Texas College
The judge ruled that drag performances are not inherently expressive and that schools could regulate "vulgar and lewd" conduct.
Bahrain's Dictatorship Gets More Biden Administration Help
The U.S.-Bahraini security pact is the first step towards a future U.S.-Saudi “mega-deal.” Critics say it violates the U.S. Constitution and aids torturers.
No, Court Won't Order Removal of Online Copies of the Decision in Your Online Case, Even if
you argue that you're losing job opportunities because employers see that decision.
A Former Twitter Executive's Highly Selective Concern About 'Coercive Influences' on Social Media
Yoel Roth worries about government meddling in content moderation, except when Democrats target "misinformation."
Prosecutor Linda Fairstein's Libel Lawsuit Over Netflix "Central Park Five" Series ("When They See Us") Can Go Forward
"There is evidence that, by opting to portray Fairstein as the series villain who was intended to embody the perceived injustices of a broader system, defendants reverse-engineered plot points to attribute actions, responsibilities and viewpoints to Fairstein that were not hers and are unsupported in defendants' substantial body of research materials."
Ashland Professor Allegedly Ousted for Allowing 'Too Much Investigative Journalism'
After the student paper pressed university officials for interviews, its faculty adviser got into trouble.
Federal Judge Blocks California Online Age-Checking Law as Unconstitutional
Shielding children from “harm” shouldn’t come at the expense of speech protected by the First Amendment.
University's Denying Fellowship to Student Isn't "Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress"
And the case in which the student made such a claim can't be sealed, either.
Kat Timpf: Everything Is Funny and Nothing Is Sacred
The Fox libertarian on why joking around is a vital form of free expression
Morgan Bettinger's Accuser Has a Deal With Dove. That's No Reason To Boycott.
Reason broke the story of activist Zyahna Bryant baselessly accusing a fellow student of racism. It's still wrong to cancel her.
The Things We Can't Say
As the culture war permeates American life, combatants set their sights on the ways we express ourselves.
