Opinion: Government use of global tracking can adversely affect free speech rights

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling next spring  in United States v. Jones involving police warrantless use of a GPS tracking device could have wide ranging effect on the rights to association and free speech, writes Gene Policinski for the First Amendment Center. “The freedom to associate with others of similar and perhaps unpopular views, and [...]

Student punished for criticizing college deal with debit card company

A North Carolina college student was thrown out of a classroom and barred from campus after he went on Facebook to criticize the college for its marketing of a debit card company to students. “CVCC not only must reinstate Marc Bechtol, but also must revise its unconstitutional policy,” FIRE Vice President of Programs Adam Kissel [...]

Business lobby opposed to order requiring government contractors to disclose political donations

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce made it known to the Obama administration that they oppose its plan to require government contractors to disclose their political donations. The Chamber argued that disclosures would chill the free speech rights of businesses and cited the case of Target which suffered boycotts and protests after the revelation that the [...]

Baseless threats still pose threat to free speech

Attorney Eric Puryear writes that when he posted comments about a case of legal armed self defense in Florida, he received threats from who he guessed was a relative of the person shot dead when committing burglary. The relative made legal threats that Puryear says could have a chilling effect on the speech of non-lawyers. [...]

Federal court rules city college sexual harassment policy counter to free speech rights

The Los Angeles Community College District must stop enforcing their sexual harassment policy after a federal court ruling upholding an injunction against the policy. A court will now entertain arguments to determine if the policy is reaching too far to trample the First Amendment rights of students. -DB Student Press Law Center September 23, 2009 By Michael [...]