Free Speech
Shooting the Messenger and Blaming the Victim
How cops, politicians, and bureaucrats tried to dodge responsibility in 2024
Court Dismisses Defamation Suit Filed by Jussie Smollett's Hoax Attackers
The Osundairo brothers sued Smollett's lawyer for suggesting that they might have put on white makeup for the hoax.
Activists Tried To Cancel a Record Number of Campus Events in 2024
164 events or speakers were targeted, mostly over the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Trump Media & Technology Group Loses Lawsuit Against Washington Post Over Story About Trump Social Deal
The statements were true or at least substantially true, the court concludes, plus Trump Media failed to adequately allege knowing or reckless falsehood on the Post's part.
Court Blocks Arkansas Law That Limits "Harmful to Minors" Books in Public Libraries and Bookstores, and Also
limits "inappropriate" books in libraries.
"Not Only Is [the Race Discrimination Plaintiff] a Perpetual Claimant, He Is a Holdup Artist"
A judge sanctions a self-represented litigant who threatened to contact defendant's donors as a means of trying to pressure defendant into settling.
Much of Government Response to Parent's Criticism of School Board "Was Beyond the Pale," but Can't Justify an Injunction …
because there's not enough evidence that the response would recur (which is what is required for an injunction, which is a forward-looking remedy).
Do You Have To Choose a Side in Politics? Reason Versus The Bulwark
The Bulwark's Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell debate Reason's Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch on choosing a side in politics.
The Spending Bill Would Fund Censorship
Republicans should not give any more money to the Global Engagement Center.
Allegation: Carnegie Mellon Prof to Jewish Student: Time on Jewish-Related Project "Would Have Been Better Spent" Exploring "What Jews Do To Make Themselves Such a Hated Group"
A federal judge has allowed the (now-graduated) student's discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and breach of contract case to go forward.
Odds Are Against TikTok at the Supreme Court
It seems unlikely that five Justices will buy TikTok's First Amendment arguments when neither Judge Douglas Ginsburg nor Judge Neomi Rao nor Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan did so.
Judge Rejects Meta's Attempt to Seal Various Information About Moderating Practices
"The manner in which Meta moderates content from an adult platform competing with OnlyFans versus content that originates from OnlyFans is directly at issue. Therefore, Meta's general policies which articulate the extent to which sexual content is permitted on any of Meta's social media platforms are also relevant."
After Plaintiff "Criticized the City Manager …, the Manager Complained About Him to the Police."
"Two officers convinced a prosecutor to charge Blackwell with stalking. But a judge acquitted him. Blackwell then sued the manager and officers for violating the First Amendment by inducing this prosecution in retaliation for his political speech."
Rape Allegations in #TheyLied Defamation Lawsuit Aren't on a Matter of "Public Interest," Says N.Y. Judge
"M.V. ... [sued] J.T., alleging that this action arises out of a personal vendetta and jealous revenge plot by J.T. to destroy his life and reputation. M.V. asserts that, intent on causing him maximum damage after he finally ended their casual, on-and-off sexual relationship that spanned years including through their time together in college, J.T. knowingly published numerous false and defamatory statements to the social media application YikYak, falsely accusing M.V. of rape ...."
Pro-Israel Jewish Students Suing Haverford College for Hostile Environment Harassment Can Proceed Pseudonymously
"[T]he presence of masked protesters in the room, who defied the authority of Haverford administrators and had to be removed by campus security, with a chanting group of protestors outside, would reasonably be viewed as a form of intimidation going far beyond the 'normal' chaos of a confrontational campus protest."
Mike Lee's App Store Accountability Act Would Make Google and Apple Check IDs
Lee says this is about "sexual and violent content." It goes far beyond that.
Interesting Illustration of International Subpoenas Aimed at Identifying Alleged Online Defamers
The case indirectly involves a long and messy divorce dispute between a Korean billionaire tech CEO (chairman of the third-largest South Korean company) and the daughter of South Korea's first democratically elected President.
No Pseudonymity for Plaintiffs Challenging Employer's COVID-19 Protocols
"[C]ourts should not permit parties to proceed pseudonymously just to protect the parties' professional or economic life."
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Minneapolis Doctor Sufficiently Alleged Demotion Based in Part on Anti-Woke Speech in 2020
"Dr. Gustilo made ... posts ... concerning controversial political issues including presidential candidates, fascism, racism, police killings, Black Lives Matter, socialism, and COVID.... [She alleged she] 'also began to voice ... opposition to critical race theory ..., because CRT theorists “reject the principle of equality under the law” and “warn[ ] people of color against ‘internalized whiteness.’"'"
Challengers Have Standing to Challenge Connecticut "Harassment" Ban for Lawyers
The Second Circuit holds that the challengers sufficiently alleged that the ban is broad enough to cover their constitutionally protected speech (including speech that may offend some based on gender identity, race, religion, and more); the court didn't reach the question whether the ban actually violates the First Amendment, which the trial court will now have to take up.
When Deciding Whether To Investigate His Opponents, Trump Says, He Will Defer to 'Very Fair' Kash Patel
Trump's pick to run the FBI has a long list of enemies he plans to "come after," with the legal details to be determined later.
Trump Is Coming for Tech Companies
It looks like we can expect the antitrust assaults to continue.
City's Christmas Parade May Not Exclude Pride Float Because Risk of Thrown Objects or Slashed Tires
The court rejects the City's action as implementing a "heckler's veto."
Olivet University "Pled Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering"; Newsweek Reported That as "Pleaded Guilty to Money Laundering"
Not libel, says the Second Circuit: "the truth is so near to the facts as published that ... no legal harm has been done."
