First Amendment Watch Releases a Citizen’s Guide to Recording Police
The First Amendment right to record public officials such as the police performing their official duties in public is central to our democracy. Without the ability to document and disseminate such information, citizens would lack an indispensable tool for keeping the public informed, and for holding their leaders accountable.
Federal Judge Dismisses Devin Nunes Against Ryan Lizza and Esquire Magazine
In his 48-page opinion, District Judge C.J. Williams ruled that none of the 11 allegedly defamatory statements were grounds for defamation. Some, such as Lizza’s claims that Nunes and his family were keeping a “secret,” Williams dismissed because they were too ambiguous to be actionable.
Trump Signs Executive Order Essentially Banning U.S. Companies from Working with TikTok
The order prohibits American companies from doing business with TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, a move experts say would eventually prevent Americans from using the app. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University warned the White House’s efforts to cut ties with Chinese social media companies violate the First Amendment rights of U.S. users.
ACLU Sues Indiana State Police For Restrictions on Anti-Death Penalty Protests
Anti-death penalty protesters want to stand vigil during executions outside the prison entrance but have been blocked by police since early July. The ACLU lawsuit says the 1.6-mile no-protest zone around the federal prison does not serve a significant government interest and should be struck down.
First Amendment Watch and FIRE Launch Campus Free Speech Orientation Program
First Amendment Watch and FIRE are proud to launch a freshman orientation program aimed at teaching incoming college students about their free speech rights on campus. We've developed a series of modules for universities to utilize during freshman orientation, first-year seminars, and other campus programming to teach new college students about their rights and about common free speech issues they may encounter during their time in school
2020 Knight/Gallup Poll Shows Majority of Americans Worry About Political Bias in News
While the majority of Americans believe the press is important to maintain a free society, many are pessimistic about the media’s ability to publish objective news stories. Released on August 4, 2020, the report is based on the responses of 20,000 U.S. adults collected between November 2019–February 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic hit and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.