Commentary
The Powerful anti-SOPA protests show why corporations, too, need First Amendment rightsBY PETER SCHEER—Some thoughts on the dramatic and remarkably effective demonstrations by Google, Wikipedia, et al. against federal anti-piracy legislation (the Stop Online Piracy Act, “SOPA,” and companion legislation in the Senate): Successful technology firms pride themselves on their capacity to disrupt the established order. The reference is usually to a technological advance that poses an existential threat to an entrenched industry or way of doing business. Think of Apple... [Read more]
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Coalition News
Howard H. “Tim” Hays, the much honored former editor, publisher and chairman...
Obama acts on FAC petition against China’s “Great Firewall”
October 19, 2011—The Obama administration on Wednesday said that, using World...
Brown vetoes bill limiting cellphone searches by police
Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed SB 914, a bill sponsored by the First Amendment Coalition...
BY PETER SCHEER–Steve Jobs died at age 56, a young man. But one of the things...
Call to action: Sign petition urging Gov. Brown to sign SB 914 and stop warrantless cellphone searches
Petition Update (Thurs, Sept 29, 2011) SB 914 is still sitting on Governor Brown’s...
Join the Challenge! We need to raise exactly $47,209 to meet the overall goal of...
Legislature approves FAC-sponsored bill on cell phone privacy. Will Brown sign it?
SB 914, a FAC-sponsored bill to prohibit warrantless searches of cell phones during...
The First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce that it has received major...
Have a legal question on FOI issues? Ask us. FREE!
The First Amendment Coalition offers an incredibly useful and FREE legal consultation...
New ruling in FAC case opens door to release of state bar records needed for affirmative action research
In an important decision on freedom of information, a California appeals court today...
FAC and Sac Bee, in major court victory, gain access to pension payments, by name, to county retirees
A California appeals court ruled May 11 in favor of FAC and the Sacramento Bee in...
FAC leads amicus signed by 90+ publications in Brown Act case begun by the late Rich McKee
A FAC led amicus brief joined by more than 90 newspapers and other publications...
FAC files suit for access to report on hazardous toxins found in Calabasas
The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) has filed suit against the city of Calabasas...
Sunshine Week 2011 has arrived and this year FAC has partnered with the NFOIC (National...
FAC’s Duffy Carolan honored by journalists’ group
First Amendment lawyer Duffy Carolan–who is also a long-time Board member of...
Bruce Brugmann, founding editor of the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and First Amendment...
Criminal prosecution of WikiLeaks bodes ill for U.S. media
If the U.S. succeeds in bringing WikiLeaks to heel for publishing classified documents,...
FAC, News media urge Supreme Court to limit FOIA exemption in case heard this week
The US Supreme Court yesterday heard arguments in a FOIA personnel exemption case, ...
SF Bay Guardian’s $21M award stands after CA Supreme Court refuses rival’s request to review amount
The CA Supreme Court declined to review the $21 million damage award a lower court...
FAC posts online confidential CalPERS’ docs ordered released by Court
The First Amendment Coalition has posted on the internet more than 1,700 CalPERS...
Proposals for Greater Media Access Released for Public Comment
A California report with a series of proposals to improve media and public access...
FAC wins case against CalPERS for records on disastrous real estate investment
The Superior Court in San Francisco ruled Tuesday in FAC’s favor against CalPERS...
In keeping with the new normal of polarized politics, FAC has launched a new feature...
CalPERS sued for documents related to failed $100 million investment in Page Mill properties
The First Amendment Coalition has sued CalPERS to obtain records on why the pension...
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1st Amendment News
ACLU challenges federal government on records of drone attacks killing U.S. citizens in YemenThe American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Obama administration to force them...
Federal appeals court rejects requests to release Prop 8 trial videos
In a narrowly tailored decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that...
With reporting costs escalating, will media cut coverage of Newt Gingrich?
With travel costs eating up the budgets of the big media companies, they will look...
California: Hanford City Council may be correct in withholding packet of allegations
The Hanford City Council has so far not released an anonymous packet of documents...
Student Press Law Center protests banning of Arizona school books
Together with other free speech groups, the Student Press Law Center is opposing...
EFF wants protection for anonymous in porn-downloading suit
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is petitioning a federal judge to protect the...
Reporters group disappointed in federal appeals court decision over access to Virginia state records
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press did not like a federal appeals...
Federal court rules non-residents can be denied Virginia state records
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that non-residents have no right to Virginia...
Federal judge rules FBI cannot withhold information about informant from Civil Rights era
A federal district judge ruled that the FBI could not use a Freedom of Information...
Federal judge allows smut lords to pursue identities of users downloading illegally
A federal judge says Digital Sin can pressure Internet service providers for names...
Government watchdog alleges FBI stonewalling on WikiLeaks surveillance
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has sued the Justice Department...
Gay police officer loses right to make First Amendment case after he was hounded out of the department
A gay police officer who alleged that St. Cloud Police Department refused to allow...
Journalists snared in arrest net at Occupy Oakland protests
Six journalists were arrested at an Occupy Oakland protest at Oakland City Hall where...
Federal agencies making scant progress in declassifying backlog
Two years after President Barack Obama ordered government agencies to come up to...
Illinois case greater threat to bloggers seeking protection of shield laws
The Oregon case denying a blogger protection under the state;’s shield is of...
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul loses bid for identities of those posting online spoof
A federal judge ruled that Republican presidential contender Ron Paul could not force...
LA Times editorial criticizes supervisors for excessive closed door meetings
An editorial in the Los Angeles Times says the board of supervisors for Los Angeles...
Doctors uneasy about online complaints attempt to stifle criticism
Writing critical reviews of doctors and dentists online could make you the target...
California: Long Beach wants state court to keep names of officers involved in shootings secret
Long Beach and a police officers group are asking an appeals court to overturn...
Federal appeals court upholds Stolen Valor Act
After the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Stolen Valor Act unconstitutional...
Opinion: NBC TV station obliged to run Romney ad the network objects to
After NBC TV station continued to air a Mitt Romney ad that the network wants pulled,...
Federal appeals court hands censorship tool to public colleges
The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals extended the Supreme Court ruling known as...
Public has options in dealing with Twitter’s new country-specific censorship
After Twitter announced last week they would engage in country-specific censorship,...
DEA agent loses privacy case over self-inflicted bullet wound during public presentation
The District of Columbia appeals court ruled that an agent for the Drug Enforcement...
Twitter censorship plan provokes outrage
To cries of protest, Twitter announced last week that it will take a country’s...
Citizen sources base for new reporting unit by Public Insight Network
The Public Insight Network (PIN) is launching its own reporting unit to produce original...
Acai diet pill promoters lose millions in settlement with FCC over fake news stories
The Federal Trade Commission won a $4 million settlement against marketers of the...
Family sues Hustler for $20 million for publishing nude photos after death
A grieving family is suing Hustler Magazine for $20 million after the magazine published...
Auto safety firm sues for records of government investigation of sudden acceleration
Safety Research and Strategies is suing the federal government for details of their...
California appeals court rules sexual harassment complaint against teacher public record
A Santa Monica math teacher lost a lawsuit in a California appeals court to keep...
U.S. press freedom plummeted in 2011
Press freedom took a hit in the United States in 2011 according to Reporters Without...
Federal appeals court rules Albuquerque public library must allow sex offenders
The 10th Circuit Appellate Court upheld a lower court decision that Albuquerque’s...
South Carolina prison newsletter wins censorship suit
A South Carolina county will have to pony up nearly $600,000 to settle a censorship...
Sikh leader sues comedian Jay Leno for defamation in Mitt Romney joke
As Jay Leno was joking on “The Tonight Show”about Republican presidential...
California: Ventura County school district leads the county in open meeting complaints
The Rio School District has over half of the 36 complaints about violations of the...
California: Newspaper seeks information on robbery in Alameda
After tipsters told the Action Alameda News that the Alameda Police Department was...
Europe considers tough online privacy law
Europe is considering a new law that would require Internet companies like Amazon...
Chicago Sun-Times abandons political endorsements
In a recognition of its waning influence, the Chicago Sun-Times has decided to stop...
WiliLeaks founder getting TV show
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will have his own TV interview show this spring...
Supreme Court police arrest man for ‘Occupy Everything’ words on jacket
In an incident reminiscent of Cohen v. California, the Supreme Court police arrested...
Federal judge rejects San Diego election campaign donation cap
A federal judge ruled that San Diego could not enforce its $1000 cap on donations...
Whistleblower sues over firing during BP gulf oil spill cleanup
BP allegedly fired a worker for refusing to change data so that the company could...
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