How The Simpsons Fights Fake News: Podcast
Journalism prof Michael Socolow has three simple rules to up your social-media literacy.
Civil Liberties
Non-First-Amendment Objections to Anti-Libel Injunctions
A new section for the brief I blogged about last week, ultimately arguing that an injunction is improper in Sindi v. El-Moslimany -- but not because of the First Amendment.
Kid Sues Over First Amendment Right to Second Amendment Shirt
A Nevada school district unlawfully required a student not to wear a gun rights T-shirt, according to a First Amendment lawsuit filed today in federal court.
Weapons Are Just Tools. It's People Who Are Dangerous.
Restricting guns-or vans, knives, or planes-won't make the world safer. The Toronto van attack reminds us peril lies in people with bad intent, not with how they get it done.
British Politicians Declare War on Knives
Having failed to thwart crime with gun bans, British officials now want to restrict what may be the most useful tool ever invented.
Freedom for the Press as an Industry, or for the Press as a Technology? From the Framing to Today
The Free Press Clause, my research led me to conclude, has long been understood as equally protecting all who speak using the means of mass communications -- not just professional journalists and the like.
Nashville Mayor Calls for Tougher Gun Control After Waffle House Shooting
Assault weapon ban proposals are more and more popular, but the facts about American gun violence show they'd have little positive effect.
Man's Joke Video of Dog Giving Nazi Salute Lands Him U.K. Hate Speech Fine
Court feels "menaced" by a pug.
Law Prohibiting 'Revenge Porn' Violates First Amendment, Says Texas Appeals Court
The state law targeted people who share erotic photographs of others without their consent.
She Posted Rap Lyrics to Remember a Dead Teen, So the U.K. Prosecuted Her for Hate Speech
Why all Americans should be thankful for the First Amendment
Public Transit Becomes Another Tool for Total Government Surveillance
City's new bus system comes with 24-7 camera feeds.
In Defense of Cash
Around the world, governments are trying to kill paper money. It's a terrible idea.
Do Ordinary Speakers Have Lesser First Amendment Rights Than Newspapers Do?
"Yes," the Minnesota Supreme Court said in 1980 -- now it's being asked to reconsider that.
CDC, in Surveys It Never Bothered Making Public, Provides More Evidence That Plenty of Americans Innocently Defend Themselves with Guns
CDC surveys in the 1990s, never publicly reported, indicate nearly 2.5 million defensive uses of guns a year. That matches the results of Gary Kleck's controversial surveys, and it indicates more defensive than offensive uses of guns.
Southern Poverty Law Center Scraps Its Anti-Muslim Hate List
But its illiberal tactics against liberal Muslim reformers remain extremely troubling.
The Hidden Legacy of Columbine: Ignorance About School Violence
On another National School Walkout day, 57 percent of teens are worried about dying in a school shooting. They shouldn't be.
Duke Students Who Hijacked Alumni Event: Punishing Us Would Hurt Us Mentally
Activists who stormed the stage were shocked when alumni in the audience dared to heckle them.
First Opinion by James Ho (a Recently Appointed Fifth Circuit Judge)
It's a dissent from denial of rehearing en banc, joined by Judge Edith Jones, in a case that upheld a $350 cap for contributions to Austin City Council races.
College Republicans Get In Huge Trouble for Posting 'I.C.E. I.C.E. Baby' Signs
But dumb, offensive speech still isn't violence.
How We Lost Privacy
Today people are shamed for not sharing personal information about themselves.
Young People Are Shifting Left on Abortion
The percentage of young adults saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases has risen 10 percentage points since 2015.
Fresno State Shouldn't Fire a Professor for Saying She's Glad Barbara Bush Died
Randa Jarrar reveals hypocrisy on the right.
"Little Pink House" Brings the Kelo Case to the Big Screen
An impressive new movie dramatizes the story behind the famous Supreme Court case about whether it is permissible for the government to condemn homes in order to promote private "economic development."
Russia Bans Telegram, a Popular Encrypted Messaging App
"Privacy is not for sale, and human rights should not be compromised out of fear or greed."
Why Properly Crafted Injunctions Against Libel Are Constitutional
I'm crowd-testing this draft amicus brief, which I need to be file by Wednesday, April 25. Please tell me what I'm getting wrong here!
Massachusetts High Court Strikes Down Stun Gun Ban
The U.S. Supreme Court had rejected the Massachusetts court's earlier arguments for why stun guns aren't covered by the Second Amendment, but had sent the case back for the Massachusetts court to consider other arguments.
Supreme Court Punts on Data Privacy Case, Thanks to the Terrible CLOUD Act
Lawmakers passed a bill requiring American firms to comply with warrants for data stored overseas, ending a legal fight.
Facebook's Use of Data May Annoy You, But IRS Handling of Your Sensitive Information Is Truly Chilling
When it comes to mishandling the details of your life, social media has nothing on the tax man.
CUNY's Law Dean Is Wrong About the Attempted Shutdown of Josh Blackman
The student handbook makes it clear that students broke university policy.
California Wants to Tax Gun Sales to Pay Therapists to Watch for School Shooters
The therapists would be mandatory in middle and high schools.
RIP Miloš Forman, a True Hollywood Anti-Authoritarian
From One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to Black Peter, the Czech-born Oscar-winner championed eccentric individuals and artists over small-minded bureaucrats and a stifling state.
What Should Have Happened at the Facebook Hearing
Congress doesn't have the best track record on privacy rights.
The Deep-State Liars of the #Resistance
Democrats are rehabilitating the deservedly poor reputations of surveillance-state officials who were caught lying to the American people
CUNY Students Tried to Shout Down Josh Blackman. Here's Why They Failed.
"We're not children! You can't talk to us like that!"
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren Want the FCC to Revoke Sinclair's Broadcast Licenses
They say it's to protect free speech.
23 Cornell Professors Say Their School Violated Due Process
Faculty take a stand against an unfair investigation.
U.S. Government to Facebook: 'Americans Don't Like to Be Spied On'
We can think of at least one whistleblower who agrees.
Judicial Candidates' Free Speech Rights
Does the Supreme Court's decision in Williams-Yulee v. Florida Bar (2015) -- which upheld a restriction on fundraising by a judicial candidate -- also authorize much broader bans on candidate speech?
Now They're Coming for People's Knives. No, Really.
London's got a homicide problem, but leaders insist it's being caused by the tools.
Ben Sasse Asked Mark Zuckerberg Whether He Defines Hate Speech Like College Students Do
"You used language of safety and protection earlier. We see this happening on college campuses all across the country."
Handing Out Pamphlets Is Not a Crime
A Michigan jury tampering case strikes at the heart of the First Amendment.
A Bunch of Senators Just Showed They Have No Idea How Facebook Works. They Want to Regulate It Anyway.
"If Facebook and other online companies will not or cannot fix their privacy invasions, then we are going to have to. We, the Congress."
This Illinois Town Might Not Have Intended to Ban My Family's 'Peashooter,' But They Still Did
A plain reading of the text suggests that Deerfield's new law covers all semi-automatic rifles that can hold more than 10 rounds.
