■ Election misinformation is spreading on X after Elon Musk dismantled the platform’s system for flagging false content, The New York Times has reported.
■ Are ballot selfies protected by the First Amendment? At the moment, there is no consensus among U.S. states.
■ Despite TikTok’s widespread popularity with Americans, government officials have worked to restrict access to it.
■ President Biden tries to balance Gaza protests and free-speech rights as his public events are disrupted by protesters.
Shielded. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a federal shield law (PRESS Act) that would protect reporters from disclosing confidential sources or having their digital records accessed by the government.
■ Seth Stern, a Freedom of the Press Foundation director, has answered the most frequently asked questions about the PRESS Act here.
■ A Texas law that would require sexual-content ratings from booksellers who deal with school libraries has been blocked by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Shielded. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a federal shield law (PRESS Act) that would protect reporters from disclosing confidential sources or having their digital records accessed by the government.
■ Seth Stern, a Freedom of the Press Foundation director, has answered the most frequently asked questions about the PRESS Act here.
■ A Texas law that would require sexual-content ratings from booksellers who deal with school libraries has been blocked by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
■ Despite a state policy prohibiting them, banned books fill a secret shelf at a Texas school, NPR reported.
■ Georgia lawmakers have passed a bill that would define antisemitism in state law despite opponents saying it could curtail free-speech rights.
Wrong side of the street. Blocking traffic is not protected by the First Amendment even though the freedom to protest is, argued Reason associate editor Billy Binion.
■ The arrest of an Ohio public official during a board meeting for comments critical of the local sheriff was a violation of her constitutional rights, a federal judge has ruled.
■ A parent did not have a First Amendment right to record an online meeting with school officials discussing his child’s individualized education plan, a three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
■ A federal judge ruled that a Pennsylvania law making the release of information on teacher disciplinary complaints a crime is in violation of the First Amendment.
Money pit. The billionaires who said they wanted to save the news industry are losing a fortune, according to a financial analysis in The New York Times.
■ Following significant layoffs and the resignation of its top editor, the Los Angeles Times announced its first female executive editor, who is now tasked with navigating through the turbulence at the 142-year-old newspaper.
■ A clash between the Los Angeles Times owner and its former editor over an unpublished article reportedly led the latter to resign.
Boxed out. A Colorado man was cited after more than 200 local newspapers with a front-page story about an investigation into sexual assault at the home of a police chief went missing from distribution boxes.
■ Donations have helped a weekly newspaper in Oregon publish again weeks after an employee embezzled thousands of dollars and forced it to shut down.
■ Georgia lawmakers have passed a bill that would define antisemitism in state law despite opponents saying it could curtail free-speech rights.
Wrong side of the street. Blocking traffic is not protected by the First Amendment even though the freedom to protest is, argued Reason associate editor Billy Binion.
■ The arrest of an Ohio public official during a board meeting for comments critical of the local sheriff was a violation of her constitutional rights, a federal judge has ruled.
■ A parent did not have a First Amendment right to record an online meeting with school officials discussing his child’s individualized education plan, a three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
■ A federal judge ruled that a Pennsylvania law making the release of information on teacher disciplinary complaints a crime is in violation of the First Amendment.
Money pit. The billionaires who said they wanted to save the news industry are losing a fortune, according to a financial analysis in The New York Times.
■ Following significant layoffs and the resignation of its top editor, the Los Angeles Times announced its first female executive editor, who is now tasked with navigating through the turbulence at the 142-year-old newspaper.
■ A clash between the Los Angeles Times owner and its former editor over an unpublished article reportedly led the latter to resign.
■ A vigil was held outside the U.S. Capitol to honor the more than 80 journalists and media workers who have been killed since the Israel-Gaza conflict began.
Boxed out. A Colorado man was cited after more than 200 local newspapers with a front-page story about an investigation into sexual assault at the home of a police chief went missing from distribution boxes.
■ Donations have helped a weekly newspaper in Oregon publish again weeks after an employee embezzled thousands of dollars and forced it to shut down.
■ Congress must help save local journalism before it is too late, urged the editor of The Seattle Times Save the Free Press Initiative.
■ An Oklahoma lawmaker has authored a bill that would require journalists to be licensed by the state and to take quarterly drug tests.
■ A federal appeals court in Maryland has upheld a law requiring gun dealers to distribute information about suicide prevention, conflict resolution, and mental health resources when selling firearms.
