How Charlie Kirk's Murder Chilled Speech at Utah Valley University
One year after Kirk was assassinated on campus, Utah Valley students fear expressing themselves.
First Amendment
Animal Advocates Say a Florida Sheriff's Office Blocked Them Online. Free Speech Lawyers Are Fighting Back.
The free speech organization, FIRE, says the Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s bans on its social media pages violate the First Amendment.
Professor Investigated for Mocking a University 'Land Acknowledgment' Gets a $600,000 Settlement
The agreement follows a 9th Circuit ruling that the University of Washington violated Stuart Reges' First Amendment rights by treating his dissent as intolerable "disruption."
Will the Supreme Court Hear the 'Case About Swinging Dicks'?
Olympus Spa—an all-female, nude establishment in Washington state—sued after the government said it had broken the law by refusing to accept a preoperative transgender woman. But the case is more complicated than it looks.
Texas Terrorism Law Chills Speech for Muslim Group
By labeling this group a terrorist organization, the state is chilling more than Muslims' freedom of expression.
Congress Is Trying (Again) To Ban Boycotting Israel
The bipartisan bill, which passed the House, takes aim at university boycotts of any “major strategic partner.”
Trump Can't Deport Legal Immigrants for Protected Speech, Judge Rules
The court struck down the government’s use of immigration law to threaten lawful noncitizens with deportation for protected speech.
Prosecutors Say a North Carolina Teenager Committed Murder by Livestreaming a California Mosque Shooting
The case smacks of a desire for retribution that cannot be satisfied by prosecuting the actual killers, who committed suicide.
Wisconsin Cops Used Flock Over 100 Times To Track a Navy Veteran After He Lawfully Recorded a Traffic Stop
A federal lawsuit claims the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office used the Flock cameras without a legitimate government purpose and in retaliation against the vet for exercising his First Amendment right.
Foreign Regulators Are Trying To Censor Americans Online. A Bill Would Ensure Those Demands Are Unenforceable.
The proposed GRANITE Act looks to shield U.S. companies from foreign censorship orders.
What Craigslist and Backpage Can Tell Us About the Meta Settlement
It doesn't matter if you're right. If you don't cave, the government might stop at nothing to destroy you.
Rebuke or Punishment
Plus: Gustavo Gordillo's lies, measles among the Amish, Milo Yiannopoulos deported, and more...
Anthropic Win Reaffirms Private Sector's Right To Put Conditions on Government Dealings
Trump administration officials didn’t try to hide that they were punishing the company for its views.
Federal Court Rules Speech-Based Deportations Violate the First Amendment
The decision goes further than other similar recent rulings.
Lawmakers Want To Stop Kids From Nicknaming Their Pokémon
The Safer GAMING Act would silence minors in every online game by default—and violate the First Amendment.
Judge Says Trump's Clampdown on Anthropic Violates the First Amendment
A judge ruled the Pentagon's supply chain risk designation of Anthropic was an unlawful, “arbitrary,” and “capricious” decision made to punish Anthropic.
Elon Musk's X Loses First Amendment Challenge to New York's 'Stop Hiding Hate Act'
Musk's X Corp., along with other social media companies operating in the state, must disclose whether and how it defines hate speech and disinformation.
Rubio Uses Terrorism Law To Ban Secure Email Service
The State Department doesn’t accuse Autistici/Inventati of doing anything more than providing "untraceable" email accounts. But that’s enough to outlaw it as a terrorist organization.
A Federal Judge Just Struck Down Texas' Anti-Drag Law, Again
A Texas law restricting “sexually oriented performances” was struck down after a federal judge said it could apply to everything from cheerleading to karaoke to performances by Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, and Miley Cyrus.
Florida Students Punished for Silent Protest Against ICE Get Free Speech Victory in Federal Court
A federal judge sided with the Florida International University students who sued over their school's student expression policy.
Brendan Carr's Vendetta Against ABC Conflates the 'Public Interest' With Trump's Personal Grievances
The FCC chairman is punishing the network for news coverage and programming decisions that offend the president.
California Bill Would Cap Rents During U.S.-Involved War
The war in Iran is causing California lawmakers to consider wider price controls.
Border Cops Detained Me for Hours Without Explanation. They Won't Tell Me Why.
CBP claims dictatorial powers over Americans coming home. A big part of that is hiding information.
Texas Requires the Ten Commandments Be Posted in Every Classroom. SCOTUS May Decide If That's Constitutional.
A major separation-of-church-and-state case lands at the Supreme Court.
ICE Admits It Investigated a Critic Based on Constitutionally Protected Speech
The agency’s attempt to intimidate David Streever is at the center of a First Amendment case.
Appeals Court Upholds Right To Film Police—but Grants Immunity to Cops Who Arrested a Connecticut Videographer
The 2nd Circuit is the latest federal circuit court to find a First Amendment right to record the police.
Lawsuit Argues That School Choice Is a First Amendment Issue
Nebraska plaintiffs say the state can’t mandate education and also control what kids are taught.
Virginia Man Argues His 'FTP&ATF' License Plate Is Free Speech. The Supreme Court Might Hear His Case.
A federal appeals court ruled that Curtis Whateley's anti-police vanity plate was private speech protected by the First Amendment. Virginia says it will seek review from the Supreme Court.
Trump Media Is Selling Early Access to the President's Truth Social Posts for $100,000 a Month
Press groups are suing Trump Media over the scheme, calling it “profoundly corrupt.”
Another Social Media 'Addiction' Trial Starts Today. Its Claims Are Weak—but Dangerous.
Meta is on trial for fomenting "FOMO," among other things. It sounds silly, but the playbook used here could work against religious groups, fast food, and much more.
Police Department in South Carolina Says It Has 'Zero Tolerance for Hate Speech'
A free speech organization sent a letter to the police department last week, calling its anti–hate speech post unconstitutional.
Texas Man Arrested After Ranting About Age Verification Laws Blocking His Anime
Did he make a true threat? Or was this just hyperbolic ranting about bad policy?
ICE Spent $525 Million on Surveillance Tech. Some of It Is Infringing on Americans' Freedom of Speech.
New details emerge regarding the Trump administration's surveillance dragnet cracking down on its online critics.
Hawaii's End Run Around Citizens United Faces a First Amendment Roadblock
A new Hawaii law reclassifies corporate political speech as a "power" the state can revoke at will.
Senators Want To Claw Back Trump's Spending Power. They Should Just Pass a Real Budget Instead.
The Senate’s funding bill stops the Trump administration from handing political appointees control over federal grants, but Congress isn’t eager to rein in spending.
Minnesota's Nudification Ban Could Punish People Over Parodies and Stripped-Down Selfies. Elon Musk's xAI Is Suing.
The law is written so broadly it could punish services that let you fake an image of yourself in a swimsuit.
A New Jersey News Outlet Asks the Courts To Stop a Judge's Censorship
The judge concluded that a high school student's privacy interests trumped freedom of the press.
ICE Is Shredding the Bill of Rights. Defending That Isn't Conservative.
Constitutional limits on federal authority should not be partisan matters.
Records Show the Government Illegally Surveilled James Comey and Confirm the Absurdity of Its Case Against Him
The Secret Service asserted a nonexistent "emergency" to track Comey's cellphone, and the FBI's evidence falls far short of proving his seashell picture was a crime.
RIP Lou Koller, a Hardcore Punk Hero and Free Speech Champion
Remembering the lead singer for the iconic band Sick of It All
The Energy Department Admits the OMB Canceled Grants 'Solely' To Punish Trump's Political Opponents
The episode illustrates the president's routine weaponization of government against his enemies.
Florida Wildlife Agency Tracked Critics Using Law Enforcement Database
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it followed the law when it pulled the driving records of more than a dozen critics of the agency.
Brendan Carr Says ABC's Refusal To Air a Trump Speech Could Affect Renewal of Its Broadcast Licenses
The FCC chairman thinks the "public interest" standard is a license to interfere with freedom of the press.
Trump's Threats To Yank Broadcast Licenses Are Part of a Speech-Chilling Intimidation Campaign
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr seems to think TV stations are legally obligated to please the president.
South Dakota Can't Stop Website From Informing Women About Abortion Pills
And it can't ban a former state lawmaker from wearing a sweatshirt that advertises that website, either.
Texas Tech's Vague Restrictions Show You Don't Have To Ban Speech To Silence It
If someone is uncertain enough about meaning, they will censor themselves first.
Video Shows Fort Worth Cop Ticketing a Preacher for 'Offensive' Speech at Pride Event
“The First Amendment does not allow government officials to shut down speech simply on account of it being ‘offensive,’” says a legal expert at FIRE.
