Massachusetts Bill Would Impose $200 Fines, 6 Months in Jail for Using the Word 'Bitch'
The bill is an obvious First Amendment violation says Jim Manley of the Pacific Legal Foundation.
Civil Liberties
Corporate America Discovers the Limits of Political Posturing as a Marketing Tactic
Defining a company with political branding is risky business.
'Data Portability' Bill Would Risk User Privacy and Crush Social Media Startups
Plus: Court says scraping social media profiles is not hacking, and more...
What 'Rights' Do We Have When We're Talking About Our Private Online Data?
Defining terms is tricky, particularly when governments with bad track records on privacy want to call the shots.
What's So Funny About Tulsi Gabbard?
The Reason Roundtable analyzes an establishment smear against a foreign policy heretic, and laments the bipartisan panic against online speech.
Nick Cave Slams 'Woke' Culture as 'Self-Righteous' and Suppressive
"Antifa and the Far Right," he adds, are "good for nothing."
Guns and Due Process
"Petitioner had absolutely no prior notice that either his mental health or the safe handling subsection would be at issue during the hearing before the trial court."
U.N. Elects Venezuela to Human Rights Council
The council's design all but ensures absurdities like this.
Score One for Trump's Trade Policy: Putting Online Speech Protections in Trade Deals Makes Sense
For once, the Trump administration is on the right side of a debate with Congress over trade.
Tennessee Will Now Let Felons Possess Guns, but Only if the Guns Are More Than 120 Years Old
A change in Tennessee’s definition of a firearm allows for felons to own a gun provided it was manufactured before 1899.
Prison Guard Who Hid While Inmate Raped a Nurse Cannot Be Sued, Federal Court Rules
The 7th Circuit said the guard is protected by qualified immunity.
The Attorney General Is Determined to Undermine Your Privacy
The encryption limits that the Justice Department demands in the name of security would make all of us less secure.
Beto O'Rourke Still Has No Idea How He'd Actually Seize Americans' Guns
Asked how he'd actually follow through on his promise to "take your AR-15," the former Texas congressman didn't have much of an answer.
'Police Violence Is Also Gun Violence' Says Julian Castro, Arguing Against Mandatory Gun Buybacks
The former HUD Secretary is still terrible on guns, but at least he recognizes some of the costs of actually enforcing gun laws.
Democrats Want to Make It a Federal Crime to Threaten Journalists
Sen. Richard Blumenthal would give journalists special federal protections that they don't need.
LeBron James Is Getting Roasted for Criticizing Daryl Morey's Hong Kong Tweet
James called Trump a "bum," but he won't utter a single bad word about China's authoritarianism.
University of Louisville Students Can't Sue Escort for Exposing Prostitution in the Louisville Basketball Program
"University of Louisville [current and former] students ... asserted a claim that the publication of Katina Powell's book Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen resulted in a tortious diminution in the value of their University of Louisville education."
Is Everyone Wrong About NBA/China/Hong Kong Except South Park and…Ted Cruz?
Nah, the senator's still wrong about Internet free speech, argue the editors on the Reason Roundtable podcast.
A 12-Year-Old Girl Pointed Finger Guns at Other Kids. Cops Handcuffed and Arrested Her.
"The safety of our children in school is paramount, today more than ever," said the police chief.
Saying 'Triggered' Will Not Turn Your Child Into a Nazi
But they might be mad at mom for writing about them in The New York Times.
Would You Trust the Trump Administration to Teach Digital Literacy?
Plus: Trump murder meme makes waves, California requires abortion pill at public universities, and more...
Minor's Slander Lawsuit Against Another Minor, Prompted by Defendant's Allegations of Rape
Are parents liable for defamation by their minor children?
More Indian Government Attempts to Remove Material from Western Sites
"Mumbai’s cyber police department seeks to remove content [containing obviously PhotoShopped images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi] hosted on this [Northern Ireland] blog, BuzzFeed, Google Blogger, Amazon CloudFront, Tumblr, and Flickr."
Facebook Is Right to Let the Lying Trump Ad About Biden Stand
As always, the best answer to bad speech is more speech, not censorship.
Dick's Sporting Goods Destroys $5 Million Worth of Its Own 'Assault Weapons'
A decision based on a poor grasp of gun technology.
The NBA's China Problem Gets Worse After 2 American Arenas Eject Hong Kong Supporters
This week's demonstrations at NBA games are a refreshing reminder that Americans won't just "stick to sports."
Another Decision Against Sealing Records in Libel Cases
"The logical conclusion of Plaintiff's argument is that whenever someone sues for defamation because of potentially embarrassing comments, the plaintiff should be allowed to sue anonymously and with the case under seal."
The Same FBI That Wants To Destroy Encryption Is Still Illegally Snooping on Americans
Years after surveillance reforms, federal personnel can’t seem to comply with the Fourth Amendment.
Privacy for Rights Isn't a Trade Americans Should Be Forced To Make
Should participation in an election hinge on a voter's identity being made public? Of course not.
Why Hong Kong Protesters Are Channeling Bruce Lee
The mostly young demonstrators are calling for autonomy and democracy—and won't be silenced like the NBA.
Activision Blizzard Sided With Chinese Communists Against a 21-Year-Old Star Player
The gaming company suspended Chung Ng Wai for a year and confiscated his prize money after he said "Liberate Hong Kong."
Philadelphia 76ers Fans Ejected from Preseason Game for Supporting Hong Kong - UPDATED
Apparently the NBA's kow-towing to Communist China is not limited to groveling press statements.
Gorsuch May Be Swing Vote in Decision Whether Civil Rights Act Protects LGBT Workers From Discrimination
Justices weigh textual conflict over what counts as “sex discrimination” versus what Congress originally intended.
Maine State Police Denied P.I. License Because of His Social Media Posts About State Police Lieutenant
A Maine court said this would violate the private investigator's First Amendment rights, even if the police concluded the statements were false, unless they were also found to have been knowingly or recklessly false -- but should even a finding of knowing falsehood be enough?
Everyone Is Getting Joker Wrong
Plus: sex discrimination before SCOTUS today, Warren stands by pregnancy firing claim, and more...
Criminal Coercion Statute Struck Down in Minnesota
The Court of Appeals concluded, I think correctly, that the statute went beyond punishable threats of violence, and beyond punishable blackmail, to cover constitutionally protected demands.
You Will Die if You Vape While Watching Impeachment Porn
Reason editors discuss vaping deaths, the impeachment inquiry, and the resurgent conservative war on porn.
Supreme Court Will Finally Hear Arguments Over Federal LGBT Discrimination Protections
Does the Civil Rights Act of 1964 cover sexual orientation and gender identity?
China Banned South Park After the Show Made Fun of Chinese Censorship
"You gotta lower your ideals of freedom if you want to suck on the warm teat of China."
Civil Court Can't Decide What "Torah Law" Means, Even if Contract Calls for Applying It
So holds a Connecticut decision, I think correctly:
The U.K. Must Ban Pointy Knives, Says Church of England
When the human condition resists perfection through legislation, the answer always seems to be more—and stupider—laws.
$130,000 Attorney Fee in Pomona College's Denial of Due Process
The California Court of Appeal upheld the fee, awarded to a student who had been accused of sexual misconduct.
States Are Depriving Innocent People of Their Second Amendment Rights
"Red flag" laws leave gun owners defenseless.
The New York Times Says 'Free Speech Is Killing Us.' But Violent Crime Is Lower Than Ever.
The 2018 Uniform Crime Report contained bad news for pessimists but good news for everybody else.
Hong Kong Protesters Combat the Surveillance State
Encryption, other privacy measures, and decentralization have made the protest movement possible.
