■ Newly introduced RAP Act legislation seeks to
prevent an artist’s “creative or artistic expression” from being used as evidence in legal claims.
■ Twitter warns of a surge by governments looking to censor social media platforms and journalists around the globe.
Major issue. A new climate science degree at
Iowa State University has one regent urging administrators to keep freedom of
speech in mind when teaching the “very politically charged topic.”
■ Virginia Commonwealth University’s decision to ban first-semester students from Greek life draws ire of FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
■ Alumni groups are rallying to keep “diversity of thought” alive and well on college campuses.
■ Twitter warns of a surge by governments looking to censor social media platforms and journalists around the globe.
Alito off the top. Supreme Court justice, delivering a broad keynote address in Rome, slams critics and says a personal challenge is to “convince people that religious liberty is worth defending.”
■ CNN’s Fareed Zakaria calls Alito’s speech “disgusting” and “scandalous.”
■ Free Speech Center Director Ken Paulson wonders if Donald Trump’s own words crossed the line between free speech and criminal conduct.
■ A top national security official testifies that the DOJ is walking a fine line between protected speech and violent threats concerning U.S. justices.
■ Virginia Commonwealth University’s decision to ban first-semester students from Greek life draws ire of FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
■ Alumni groups are rallying to keep “diversity of thought” alive and well on college campuses.
■ One Tennessee teacher is using the high court’s recent school-prayer ruling to challenge his suspension over expletive-laced social media posts.
Asphalt jumble. In upstate New York, a Republican committee wants to deliver a painted message on a city street similar to “Black Lives Matter,” only this time “God” is in the driver’s seat.
■ The city of Portland, Ore., agrees to pay journalists $55,000 for injuries incurred at a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest.
■ The city of Portland, Ore., agrees to pay journalists $55,000 for injuries incurred at a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest.
Groovin’ with Felix Cavaliere. Free Speech in
Music Award winner sits down for MTSU students to talk on camera about the legendary
Rascals and his life beyond the hits.
■ Let us all add the First Amendment to the country’s back-to-school list, says UT-Knoxville media law professor Stuart Brotman.
■ As newspapers continue to weaken and dry up, so too does their access to legal help.
■ Trailblazing Native American journalist remembered for spending more than four decades “doing his job and protecting Native people.”
InfoWoes. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones muddles
Sandy Hook defamation case with announcement that his main company, Free Speech
Systems, has filed for bankruptcy.
■ Texas Monthly’s Dan Solomon believes the Alex Jones defamation case could have huge free-speech implications, but because of the defendant, it won’t.
■ CIA whistleblower fears that news outlets are ignoring the dangers of the Espionage Act to press freedom in general and to Julian Assange in particular.
■ Let us all add the First Amendment to the country’s back-to-school list, says UT-Knoxville media law professor Stuart Brotman.
■ As newspapers continue to weaken and dry up, so too does their access to legal help.
■ Trailblazing Native American journalist remembered for spending more than four decades “doing his job and protecting Native people.”
■ Texas Monthly’s Dan Solomon believes the Alex Jones defamation case could have huge free-speech implications, but because of the defendant, it won’t.
■ CIA whistleblower fears that news outlets are ignoring the dangers of the Espionage Act to press freedom in general and to Julian Assange in particular.
