First Amendment Video Project
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By: ahshumanities12
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First Amendment Video Project - Video
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Newswise WASHINGTON, DC (October 23, 2014)One billion Facebook users generate 2.7 billion likes per day (or 1,875,000 every minute). Increasingly, social media has become a form of social and political engagement, and 47 percent of Facebook users have liked political cause-related comments. Protected free speech is a luxury the Western world has long enjoyed. Does clicking the universally understood thumbs-up like constitute actual speech? It conveys a message understood by most, but should it command constitutional protection? A recent article in the National Communication Associations First Amendment Studies journal explores legal precedents surrounding this form of communication and surveys Facebook users attitudes.
In the case of Bland v. Roberts, an employee was fired for liking a campaign lobbying against his boss. The employee claimed the right to free speech, but the judge ruled that in the absence of sufficient speech, the case could not proceed to trial. The employee was not reinstated. An ensuing debate revealed that large numbers of individuals felt this judgment would lead to fear and inhibition, and deter free expression of ideas and opinions onlinethe chilling effect. Ironically, the First Amendment protects symbolic language, even rude gestures such as the finger. If it can stretch this far, then surely it is not unreasonable to expect coverage for the Facebook thumbs up. In the context of todays morphing methods of communication, is the law failing to keep up?
The authors developed a study of Facebook users and devised a First Amendment Scale to examine the value of computer source code communication and its relation to free speech. Four hundred forty-four participants took part. More than half had liked political content in the past. Four hypotheses were tested and all proved true:
1. Like users most certain of who would see their like expected recipients to understand their meaning. 2. Those who felt they had sent a message with a like were sure that recipients understood. 3. Participants believed when using like on political content that their posts were constitutionally protected. 4. Those using like to convey a message believed that this should be protected by the First Amendment.
The most common interpretations for like amongst participants were agree, support, and generally endorse a person, place, or idea. Overall, participants believed that a like was akin to speech as described in the First Amendment.
The twist in the tale is that on appeal, the Bland v. Roberts judgment was reversed, finding that the thumbs up indeed qualified for protection. In both offline and online domains, each community of social practice negotiates its own language conventions and creates its own democracy of meaning. The parsing of the First Amendment will continue to be influenced by these communities, note the studys authors, Susan H. Sarapin of Troy University and Pamela Morris of the University of WisconsinLa Crosse. They finish by urging further research on the chilling effect and its potential negative impact on freedom of speech online.
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First Amendment restrictions at the Baltimore County Animal Shelter
TAKE ACTION: http://bit.ly/1sd0Vej No cute animal pics? Sarah Hardy took pictures of dogs and cats at the Baltimore County Animal Shelter to help them find h...
By: ACLU Maryland
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First Amendment restrictions at the Baltimore County Animal Shelter - Video
Kevin Sabet Tour - Ready for the First Amendment
Waiting outside the La Grande Armory for the threat of being removed from a political event for displaying a political banner on my car.
By: Russ Belville
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Kevin Sabet Tour - Ready for the First Amendment - Video
Pro-life protestors had planned to put a JumboTron outside the Alamo with abortion images on it, but the City of San Antonio shut down the protest Wednesday morning. Demonstrators said it's a violation of their First Amendment rights.
Protestors have put up a JumboTron with abortion images in other cities already and Love of Truth ministries said they cleared a permit with the City of San Antonio to do so a month ago. It wasn't until Tuesday night that the City said the demonstration violates a sign ordinance.
"Part of the permit, which would have enabled them to put a JumboTron on the plaza, was revoked this morning," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
"If we were going to preform abortion today the city would allow that, cause that's legal, but showing it, somehow they're finding a way to find that against the law," said Mark Harrington, national director of Created Equal that was co-hosting the protest.
Harrington said now his organization has two causes to fight for; the end of abortion and first amendment rights.
"Unpopular speech is the reason the First Amendment was written to begin with. It protects disturbing, unpopular, offensive speech," said Harrington.
Several people visiting the Alamo Wednesday said they had differing opinions on whether the JumboTron should be allowed.
"When people don't have the choice whether to see those images or not, I don't think that's right," said Shannon Thomas who was at the Alamo Wednesday.
"I think they should be allowed to do what they were permitted for, and I think it's just the government trying to squelch anything that has to do with religion, or anything faith based," said Ava Tanner who was also visiting the Alamo.
"I don't necessarily agree with their tactics, but I do believe that to a certain extent it's protected by the First Amendment," said Lyndon Lee, another Alamo visitor.
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San Antonio tells pro-life protestors they can't use JumboTron at Alamo