By: John Schengber, Vol. 21 Staff Writer In recent decisions from the circuit courts — the second-highest level of federal courts behind the Supreme Court — judges disagree as to whether states can prohibit social media companies from moderating content on their platforms. The Firth Circuit Court of Appeals evaluated a Texas law, and the … Continue reading Inconsistent: SCOTUS, Conservatism, and Corporate Speech
Tag: Social Media
Truth? Social: Trump’s new platform takes advantage of the law he once criticized
By Rachel Allore, Staff Writer Vol. 20 Social media outlets provide an unprecedented scope to the modern-day internet; anything from innocuous life updates to scathing anonymous comments can reach thousands of people every second. This space brings novel First Amendment issues directly to our screens, and social media sites rely on an obscure and specific … Continue reading Truth? Social: Trump’s new platform takes advantage of the law he once criticized
Social Media Regulations v. The First Amendment
By Taylor Osborne, Staff Member Vol. 20 On September 9th, 2021, the Texas Legislature passed a law making it illegal for social media platforms to ban users based on their political viewpoints. The law is an apparent response to what legislators, including Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Bryan Hughes, felt was a dangerous move by … Continue reading Social Media Regulations v. The First Amendment
Social Media: Our Virtual Monopoly #Free Speech
By: Maian Adams In a 1939 opinion, Justice Owen J. Roberts wrote “[w]herever the title of streets and parks may rest, they have immemorially been held in trust for the use of the public and, time out of mind, have been used for purposes of assembly, communicating thoughts between citizens, and discussing public questions. Such use … Continue reading Social Media: Our Virtual Monopoly #Free Speech
Social Security ‘Big Brother’ for the Disabled
By: Elliotte Kiel Applicant Surveillance to Prevent Fraud In March 2019, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced it is looking into social media surveillance of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applicants. The agency justified this as part of their “responsibility to detect and prevent fraud.” SSDI pays monthly benefits to people who cannot regularly work … Continue reading Social Security ‘Big Brother’ for the Disabled
NEWSFLASH! 9/16-10/3
Fall is here and so is a steady stream of First Amendment news! The United States Department of Education sent a letter to Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill late last month, ordering the schools to reform their joint Middle East studies program. The letter comes at the heels of … Continue reading NEWSFLASH! 9/16-10/3
NEWSFLASH! 6/24-7/8
A California lawmaker has introduced a bill prohibiting a person or entity from “knowingly or recklessly distributing deceptive audio or visual media of [a political candidate] with the intent to injure the candidate’s reputation or to deceive a voter into voting for or against the candidate.” The proposed law comes in response to the increased … Continue reading NEWSFLASH! 6/24-7/8
Packingham v. North Carolina: Court Protects Sex Offenders First Amendment Rights to the Internet.
By: Alison J. Rossi Early in summer of 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously ruled that a North Carolina law that banned convicted sex offenders from accessing or using social media websites was unconstitutional. In Packinham v. North Carolina, the Court ruled North Carolina’s law violated the First Amendment. This case has … Continue reading Packingham v. North Carolina: Court Protects Sex Offenders First Amendment Rights to the Internet.
Newsflash 8/6 – 8/20
Hope everyone has had an enjoyable summer vacation!! It’s been a hot one and not just because of the weather outside. Here is a quick report of First Amendment news that has got tempers and temperatures in D.C. heating up. President Trump has not hidden his distaste with US news media. He has referred to … Continue reading Newsflash 8/6 – 8/20
The Teacher Followed Me Home: Bell and a School’s Control of Student Speech Outside the Classroom
By Kirstin Vinal; Staff Member (Vol. 15) Where does a student’s speech stop being under control of their school? Could it be when they are 500 feet away from school property? Or when they are home? In 2015, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Bell v. Itawamba County School Board that speech outside of … Continue reading The Teacher Followed Me Home: Bell and a School’s Control of Student Speech Outside the Classroom
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