In Purported Global First, Dutch City Bans Meat Ads
Haarlem lawmakers claim the ban will help fight climate change.
Civil Liberties
Germany's Criminalization of Online Offensiveness Shows the Perils of Weakening the First Amendment
A crackdown on insults, hate speech, and misinformation punishes dissenters who express themselves in ways that offend government officials.
The Education Department Asked for Public Comments on Sex Discrimination. It Got an Earful About Trans Athletes Instead.
Of the over 84,000 public comments available on the proposed Title IX regulations, a third included references to both “sex” and “sports.”
First Amendment Limits on State Laws Targeting Election Misinformation, Part V
The need for a comprehensive strategy addressing election misinformation.
Packingham Jr.: Louisiana Court Upholds Ban on Certain Sex Offenders Using Many Social Media Sites
The relative narrowness of the law, the court concludes, distinguishes the law from the one struck down in Packingham v. North Carolina.
Biden-Backed DISCLOSE Act Would Dox Donors to Groups That Run Political Ads
Plus: Student drag shows are protected speech, a bank CEO rebuffs Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and more...
First Amendment Limits on State Laws Targeting Election Misinformation, Part IV
First Amendment implications for state laws targeting election speech.
Michigan Rolls Back Reforms of Civil Asset Forfeiture
Michigan is now a more dangerous place for anyone who flies with large amounts of cash.
Tennessee Tech Punishes Student Groups Who Hosted Drag Performances
Even though it might cause pearl-clutching, there is nothing obscene about drag shows.
Russians Are Fleeing the Threat of Conscription
Unsurprisingly, numerous Russians don't want to be forced to fight in Vladimir Putin's pointless war.
First Amendment Limits on State Laws Targeting Election Misinformation, Part III
A First Amendment framework for analyzing restrictions on election-related speech.
Don't Hold Your Breath Waiting for a Post-Pandemic 'Return to Normal'
We’re likely to be poorer, distrustful, and less free for years to come.
The Government Can't Fix Social Media Moderation and Should Not Try
Democrats and Republicans both demand solutions that are inconsistent with the First Amendment.
Court Strikes Down Ban on Gun Acquisition by People Under Felony Indictment
An indictment for a crime, the court stresses, is very different from a conviction of the crime.
First Amendment Limits on State Laws Targeting Election Misinformation, Part II
An overview of state efforts to combat election misinformation.
Federal Judges Uphold Texas Law Regulating What Social Media Platforms May Censor
It’s a terrible ruling that misunderstands years of First Amendment precedents. And it’s increasingly likely that the Supreme Court will have to intervene.
First Amendment Limits on State Laws Targeting Election Misinformation, Part I
Although the federal government has largely stayed out of regulating the content of election-related speech, the states have been surprisingly active in passing laws that prohibit false statements associated with elections.
What Wikipedia Can Teach the Rest of the Internet
Jimmy Wales talks about why his online encyclopedia works, how to improve social media, and why Section 230 isn't the real problem with the internet.
Why the Florida and Texas Social Media Laws Violate the Takings Clause
They mandate occupation of private property without the consent of the owner.
British Cops Arrest and Threaten Anti-Monarchist Protesters
Anti-royalists are facing fines and jail sentences for disrupting ceremonial events
In South Carolina, What You Say During Protests Could Land You in Jail
Brittany Martin, who is pregnant, was sentenced to four years in prison after telling police they'd "better be ready to die for the blue. I'm ready to die for the black."
Are the Media Making Mass Shootings Worse?
Yes, according to a growing body of research, says criminologist Adam Lankford.
There's No Way FOSTA Isn't a First Amendment Violation, Says Lawsuit
The case is now on appeal after a lower court said the ban on websites promoting prostitution didn't concern protected speech.
Lindsey Graham's Proposed Federal Abortion Ban is an Unconstitutional Assault on Federalism - But it Might Fly Under Current Supreme Court Precedent
The problem is the Court's ultra-broad interpretation of Congress' power to regulate interstate commerce. But the justices might cut that back.
In Mississippi, Dozens of Mentally Ill People Are Held in Jails While Awaiting Inpatient Treatment
While a new report highlights Mississippi's jailing of mentally ill people, the practice is common nationwide.
Marco Rubio, Who Last Month Said Abortion Regulation Should Be Left to the States, Endorses a Federal Ban
The senator's avowed devotion to federalism is no match for his political ambitions.
National Abortion Ban Proposal Divides Republicans, Excites Democrats
Plus: Court-ordered "care," railroad strike averted (for now), and more...
Biden Administration Guts Due Process Protections for Students Accused of Sexual Misconduct
Under the new regulations, Title IX investigators can deny students access to the evidence against them.
Nicki Minaj v. "Nosey Heaux" Libel Lawsuit
"On information and belief, and as discovery will likely reveal, Green has been acting as a proxy for another performer who, mistakenly believing that she and Plaintiff are stars of equal stature, has repeatedly used other social media intermediaries in a hopeless effort to advance her career at Plaintiff’s expense."
Draft Motion to Get Access to an Interesting (but Sealed) Appellant's Brief in a First Amendment Case
Should an appellate court provisionally seal a brief until the case is heard on the merits? Or should it try to make a redacted version promptly available?
How Government Officials Bully Social Media Companies Into Censorship
A new Cato report sheds light on "jawboning," or attempts by state actors "to sway the decisions of private platforms and limit the publication of disfavored speech."
Lindsey Graham's Abortion Ban, Which Would Override State Laws, Shows Contempt for Federalism
The Republican senator improbably claims his bill is authorized by the 14th Amendment and the Commerce Clause.
Incarcerated Children in Texas Left Without Bathroom Access for 22 Hours
"This is inhumane," one child told state inspectors.
