The case for ignoring censorship orders
AP Photo/Jim Wells
Bars on publication, also known as prior restraints, are a serious violation of free speech.
The First Amendment forbids nearly all orders barring the press from publishing information, also known as prior restraints. But that doesn’t stop the government from trying.
For nearly 100 years, the Supreme Court has consistently rejected prior restraints on the press, including in its famous decision in the Pentagon Papers case. But lower courts and government officials continue to violate the Constitution by trying to gag the press from publishing, withholding vital information from the public. Prior restraints are antithetical to press freedom and must be stopped.
Featured Items
-
The #J20 trials are about the future of the First Amendment
The government’s ongoing and aggressive prosecution of people arrested merely for their presence at a protest where crimes allegedly occurred is dangerous, and will have chilling effects on the future of dissent in the United States.
-
Inside the fight to prevent censorship of Indiana student journalists
After a group of Indiana high school student journalists published an issue of their magazine about dating, their school implemented a policy of content review prior to publication. Some students say that this amounts to censorship that is compromising their journalisitic educaiton.
-
Dangerous lawsuit against Greenpeace threatens news organizations and First Amendment
A harrowing lawsuit against Greenpeace threatens not only environmental advocacy, but also political speech and press freedom.
-
Unconstitutional “ag-gag” laws criminalize journalism and insulate factory farms from accountability
“Ag-gag” laws are intended to protect the animal agriculture industry from public scrutiny by attempting to criminalize journalists and whistleblowers who expose its operating conditions.
-
Prosecuting journalists who covered Inauguration Day protests endangers press freedom and the First Amendment
Two journalists still face charges and potentially decades in prison for covering Inauguration Day protests in Washington D.C. The continued prosecution of Aaron Cantú and Alexei Wood for doing their jobs is outrageous, and the U.S. Attorney should immediately drop its charges against these journalists.The Freedom of the Press …
-
Join us in supporting Techdirt as it faces a threatening lawsuit for exercising its First Amendment rights
Techdirt is in a First Amendment fight for its life and needs everyone's support.
-
-
North Dakota needs to immediately drop its outrageous charges against journalist Amy Goodman
It's blatantly unconstitutional to prosecute reporters for doing their job.
-
Some questions for those who are cheering Gawker's demise
Gawker.com, the pioneering and controversial media blog, officially died yesterday. It was killed by billionaire Peter Thiel in his successful quest to bankrupt Gawker Media Group through a series of lawsuits he funded – most notably wrestler Hulk Hogan, who sued over the publication of a portion of his …
-
Our brief in support of Twitter's lawsuit against the US government for violating the First Amendment
Yesterday, NYU Technology Law & Policy Clinic filed a legal brief on behalf of Freedom of the Press Foundation in Twitter's important lawsuit against the government for violating their First Amendment rights. Buoyed by the Snowden disclosures that began eighteen months ago, tech companies like Twitter have been attempting to …
