The Free Speech Center

Supreme Court hears arguments on whether states can ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ kids The justices are hearing a lawsuit from a Christian counselor challenging a Colorado law that prohibits therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity. Kaley Chiles argues the law vio...

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in its latest LGBTQ rights case today, Oct. 7, weighing the constitutionality of bans passed by nearly half of U.S. states on the practice known as conversion therapy for children. tinyurl.com/d83zypxv

The original AI: Newspapers run on accurate information Local newspapers embrace the original AI: accurate information. If your local newspaper doesn’t report on a new transportation plan for your community, there’s nothing for AI search to draw upon.

"The question is whether we will support the local daily journalism that informs us, protects our communities, and yes, fuels AI," writes Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center. tinyurl.com/4xtn3mf6

Censorship by press pass: Hegseth’s attack on the First Amendment Pete Hegseth apparently graduated from the passive-aggressive school of censorship. Sure, the Secretary of War often directly lambastes the news media, but his real strategy for controlling the press ...

Hegseth’s press policy boils down to “We’ll let you know what you need to know and when you need to know it,” turning the First Amendment upside down. tinyurl.com/bsa3usbv

Jane Fonda revives Cold War-era activist group to defend free speech Signers of the new organization's mission statement include Florence Pugh, Sean Penn, Billie Eilish, Pedro Pascal and hundreds of others.

“The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry,” the committee’s mission statement reads in part. tinyurl.com/2s3m5z2h

Judge finds the Trump administration unconstitutionally targeted noncitizens over Gaza war protests The ruling came after a trial during which lawyers for the associations presented witnesses who testified that the Trump administration had launched a coordinated effort to target students and scholar...

“This case ... squarely presents the issue whether non-citizens lawfully present here in United States actually have the same free speech rights as the rest of us. The Court answers this Constitutional question unequivocally ‘yes, they do,'” wrote the judge. tinyurl.com/3pj4ht5v

Elections worker who lost job after telling Jon Stewart about safety fears settles lawsuit Chau alleged she was removed as a supervisor because of her comments on the show and told she could be a voting hotline representative instead because no one from the public would recognize her in tha...

“Denver clearly understood they had violated the First Amendment and they responsibly settled the case for less money than it would have cost them had they pushed it further and taken it to trial,” the worker's lawyer said. tinyurl.com/3ut2sd7y

Online threats of violence lead to arrests after Charlie Kirk's killing Social media lit up in the days after Kirk’s Sept. 10 death with people mourning his loss — some of whom said they disagreed with Kirk’s ideological stances but supported his right to voice them — as ...

“The First Amendment protects even harsh, unpopular speech, but it does not protect valid threats,” said Alex del Carmen, professor at Tarleton State University. “When people cross that line, accountability is essential, and so is empathy for those who are grieving.” tinyurl.com/yyappvf8

Rising up / Down shift / Pledge fight Rising up. In a much-hyped return to his ABC late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel became an unexpected hero of free speech , declared The Hollywoo...

In the latest newsletter … Criticism of Trump “illegal” … Kimmel fallout … Pentagon restrictions … TikTakeover? … and much more First Amendment and journalism news. tinyurl.com/597n2jvb

Where America stands on the First Amendment: key takeaways Most Americans continue to be aware of the First Amendment, most would not change it and most see it as vital or extremely vital to our democracy

Freedom Forum’s 2025 “Where America Stands” survey results mark notable shifts in attitudes toward the First Amendment at a moment when the five freedoms — religion, speech, press, assembly and petition — are dominating the national conversation. tinyurl.com/m8u37j3v

Federal appeals court reinstates Vt. Christian school after it objected to transgender player “We conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that the VPA’s expulsion of Mid Vermont was not neutral because it displayed hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs,” the 2nd Cir...

“The government cannot punish religious schools — and the families they serve — by permanently kicking them out of state-sponsored sports simply because the state disagrees with their religious beliefs,” said David Cortman, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom. tinyurl.com/8ma92rek

Emotional Jimmy Kimmel says in late-night return he never intended to make light of Kirk's killing Kimmel said he understood his remarks last week to some “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”

Kimmel admitted that he was mad when ABC suspended him, but praised his bosses for putting him back on the air. “Unjustly, this puts them at risk.” tinyurl.com/9u8ubbeh

ABC ends Jimmy Kimmel's suspension; his show to return tonight Brendan Carr, head of the Federal Communications Commission, issued a warning before Kimmel’s suspension that criticized Kimmel’s remarks about the Kirk assassination.

“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” ABC said a statement. tinyurl.com/46mvy8jd

Pentagon tightens news media restrictions, now requiring approval before reporting even unclassified info The Pentagon says it will require credentialed journalists at the military headquarters to sign a pledge to refrain from reporting information that has not been authorized for release — including uncl...

“If the news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting. It is getting only what officials want them to see,” said National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. “That should alarm every American.” tinyurl.com/h79e67ur

Democrats introduce bill to protect free speech following Kimmel suspension FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said his agency has a strong case for holding Kimmel network parent Walt Disney Co. accountable for spreading misinformation.

Congressional Democrats have denounced the Trump administration’s threats against political critics and unveiled a bill that would bolster free-speech protections against government officials. tinyurl.com/yc8bmrfz

Why everything Pam Bondi said about 'hate speech' is wrong What constitutes “hate speech” is inherently subjective, so it’s impossible to narrowly define it in a way that passes constitutional muster — let alone in a way that doesn’t empower the government to...

FIRE explains everything Pam Bondi got wrong about "hate speech": tinyurl.com/m9fxscey

ABC’s actions against Jimmy Kimmel could mark a First Amendment inflection point ABC's suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show over his comments about Charlie Kirk's murder could mark a First Amendment inflection point.

This event and responses could mark a trend toward significant intrusions on First Amendment rights. tinyurl.com/y8bhbb53

ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely over his remarks about Charlie Kirk’s killing FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the comic appeared to be making an intentional effort to mislead the public that Kirk’s assassin was a right-wing Trump supporter.

“We cannot be a country where late-night talk show hosts serve at the pleasure of the president,” said Ari Cohn, lead counsel for tech policy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. tinyurl.com/4wc43j7a

Trump administration joins Republicans' campaign to police speech in reaction to Kirk's killing JD Vance's call also included a vow to target some of the biggest funders of liberal causes as conservatives stepped up their targeting of private individuals for their comments about the killing.

“The government involvement in this does inch this closer to looking like McCarthyism,” said Adam Goldstein of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. “It was not a shining moment for free expression.” tinyurl.com/3b362ej5

In the latest newsletter … Charlie Kirk assassination fallout: How not to lose your job … First Amendment lawyer makes enemies left and right … guidance on public-school prayer … trailblazing prison newspaper … and much more First Amendment and journalism news. tinyurl.com/434ydrsh

Matthew Dowd's firing begins flood of people facing consequences for comments on Charlie Kirk's death It's far from the first time workers have lost their jobs over things they say publicly — including in social media posts. But the speed at which the firings have been happening raises questions about...

“The First Amendment does not apply in private workplaces to protect employees’ speech,” said Andrew Kragie, an attorney at Maynard Nexsen. “It actually does protect employers’ right to make decisions about employees, based on employees’ speech.” tinyurl.com/23jbbx36

10 ways to use your free speech without losing your job your best protection lies in constructive conversations, comments supported by facts and thoughts shared in good faith.

Here’s a quick guide to navigating social media and your job: tinyurl.com/yc4thjwp

Charlie Kirk's slaying raises fears for future of open debate on college campuses Some fear Kirk's slaying could lead to a stifling of campus speech, which has faced repeated tests in recent years.

“It’s going to rattle college campuses,” said Nico Perrino, executive vice president for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. “Colleges are going to be concerned about these sorts of events moving forward, particularly if they are outside.” tinyurl.com/uvtdvc5k

“Overall, I think (colleges and universities) need to prioritize making sure that this does not mean there will be no further Charlie Kirks coming to campus. If that’s what it means, then the assassin has won.”

I wrote about Charlie Kirk's death + the challenge of balancing free speech + safety:

Traditional news organizations were careful in their midafternoon coverage of Charlie Kirk’s assassination Sept. 10 not to depict the moment he was shot.

In practical terms, though, it mattered little. tinyurl.com/5uzhe292

CBS News' new ombudsman has background and duties that differ from job's traditional definition Kenneth Weinstein, appointed Sept. 8 by CBS' parent company Paramount, has little background in journalism and his duties include no public role.

CBS News has a new ombudsman assigned to look into public complaints, but the job being assumed by Kenneth Weinstein bears little resemblance to how this watchdog role has traditionally operated in journalism. tinyurl.com/4zms6n79

3 states push to put the Ten Commandments back in school – banking on new guidance at the Supreme Court Controversy over the Ten Commandments continues to raise larger questions over the role of religion in public education.

How the courts and legislatures balance the rights of the majority and minority in these disputes over the place of the Ten Commandments in public life may go a long way toward shaping the future of religious freedom in American public education. tinyurl.com/3uupscmw

CBS forbids editing of 'Face the Nation' interviews after complaint from Kristi Noem Days after complaints over the handling of an interview with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on “Face the Nation,” CBS News said on Sept. 5 it would no longer allow editing of its guests’ word...

Days after complaints over the handling of an interview with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on “Face the Nation,” CBS News said on Sept. 5 it would no longer allow editing of its guests’ words on the Sunday morning public-affairs show. tinyurl.com/bdz64wnn

Fox News thrives two years after court settlement, but 2020 election-coverage fight goes on NEW YORK (AP) — Twice recently, the people who run Fox News were reminded of their biggest nightmare. The conservative network Newsmax’s $67 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over false ...

“Fox’s audience didn’t really look at that verdict and say, ‘Oh, I can’t watch them anymore,'” said Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the conservative Media Research Center. “I think Fox’s audience looked at that and said, ‘Oh, the left is coming after them.'” tinyurl.com/m3mchj7y

Sleeper Supreme Court decision could have profound impacts on Trump's agenda The somewhat under-the-radar decision in National Rifle Association v. Vullo is likely to figure prominently in Supreme Court rulings in a slew of cases, including those involving law firms, universit...

In May 2024, in an opinion written by reliably liberal Sonia Sotomayor, a unanimous Court ruled that the efforts of New York state government officials to punish companies doing business with the NRA constituted clear violations of the First Amendment. tinyurl.com/4fck79j7

News media quickly forced to revisit thorny question: How should a president's health be covered? After Trump's 50-minute Oval Office appearance, Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum laughed at a reference to the health issue. "Biden was missing in action for days or weeks," she said.

“Evidence-based assessments of a president’s health are absolutely fair game,” said Bill Grueskin, a Columbia University journalism professor. tinyurl.com/msvd5f6z