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Freedom of Speech

First Amendment Rights are a constitutional guarantee. Read about the evolving nature of First Amendment Rights and what the courts are saying.

Recent Stories

Campaign Finance Ruling: Wall St. is Main St.?
Mar 2010

The recent Supreme Court Ruling on corporate contributions and campaign finances has some crying foul, while others consider it justice served. Learn more about the Court’s ruling that referred to one prior campaign finance reform act as “censorship…vast in its reach.” more...

What Do the FTC Endorsement Guidelines Mean for Bloggers and Small Business Owners?
Dec 2009

With the realization of how important social media has become and will continue to be in consumer decisions, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has updated the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, pulling bloggers under the guidelines' umbrella. The new guides require bloggers to disclose "material connections" they have with advertisers when they have been given cash, products, or other consideration for publishing a post related to the advertiser.

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Facebook & Free Speech
Nov 2009

For many of us, the idea that a high school coach could legally request a student's personal password for Facebook and then punish her for her private online exchanges is absurd. And yet, taking high school junior Mandi Jackson's assertions as true, this is exactly what happened at Pearl High School in Mississippi—and that's why she's suing the school district for violating her right to privacy and freedom of speech.

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Free Speech Primer: What Can You Say?
Jul 2009

Everyone's familiar with the First Amendment right to freedom of speech: the right to speak freely on any subject without government restriction or penalties. But what does it actually mean? Can you really say or write anything you want? more...