Free Speech
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Prosecuted for blogging, 'Crazy Fat Lady' returns to SCOTUS to hold public officials accountable
If publishing information from a cop, criticizing a city official's pay raise and reading Bible quotes outside a Pride event can be criminalized, the First Amendment has no meaning, Priscilla Villarreal's lawyers tell high court.
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SCOTUS turns down cases on conservative meme firing, COVID censorship of RFK Jr. and eviction ban
"This case is the latest in a trend of lower court decisions that have misapplied our First Amendment precedents in cases involving controversial political speech," Justice Thomas says in rejecting case by teacher fired for old posts.
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Big advertisers sought to mitigate Trump 'contagion' through boycotts: House GOP report
New Judiciary Committee staff report shows copious communications within Global Alliance for Responsible Media and coordination with European, Australian regulators. FTC bans political decisions over ads as merger condition.
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School districts sued for banning books that teach sex is real, crucifix from educators' offices
Teachers can promote political causes championed by the union but not show books that reassure children about their bodies, suit claims. Principal denies calling crucifix an "idol" and questioning Catholic teacher's faith.
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'Rigged from the start': Bureaucrats face personal liability for firing 'Black privilege' professor
Judge denies qualified immunity to four University of Central Florida administrators including president, tasks jury with considering punitive damages. Two have moved on to Texas Tech, Yale.
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Professor punished for mocking 'land acknowledgment' on syllabus finds sympathy from appeals court
While University of Washington tells 9th Circuit it struck "perfect balance" between First Amendment rights of Stuart Reges and his students' feelings, judges suggest his punishment didn't match supposed harm to students.
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Key group in government censorship project boasted of suppressing Trump message, defunding newsrooms
Democracy Dies in Darkness? A new memo from the taxpayer-funded National Endowment for Democracy shows grantee Global Disinformation Index viewed silencing Trump and toxifying certain news outlets to reduce their revenues as a win. The policy spread to other federal programs.
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Brown University opts not to punish student journalist who launched mini-DOGE of its administrators
Ivy League administration variously accused Alex Shieh of causing emotional distress to employees, improperly accessing a university database, "misrepresentation" for calling himself a reporter and, finally, trademark infringement.
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Walz opponent loses 'weaponized' censorship lawsuit against medical board Walz appointed, again
GOP nominee Scott Jensen "does not allege that he is in imminent danger of being silenced" after six costly, time-consuming probes that overlapped with gubernatorial campaign, Derek Chauvin prosecutor-turned-judge says.
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Nurses punished for warning friend about transgender surgery, criticizing 'transgender activists'
U.K.'s National Health Service reportedly sued for punishing Uganda-born nurse who referred to disruptive, racist pedophile prisoner as "mister" and "he" to a doctor.
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College can't punish math professor for criticizing low academic standards, appeals court rules
Lars Jensen was nearly fired for handing out flyers about potential harm to the community from lowering the "academic level" of math classes. Oregon sows the wind, reaps the whirlwind in "staggeringly low" student proficiency.
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FTC crashes FCC party in threats against Big Tech for censorship in tug-of-war with Europe, Brazil
Shadowbanning, demonetizing may violate consumer protection, competition laws under FTC purview, new agency chair warns. Section 230 "advisory opinion" could send Big Tech investors fleeing, columnist forecasts.
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Trump social media company sues Brazilian Supreme Court justice in global free speech fight
Lawsuit filed in federal court in Florida picks a global free speech fight aligned with the new Trump administration's priorities.