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Questions tagged [first-amendment]

First amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Related tags: "freedom-of-speech".

The full text of the first amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Canonical answers:

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How do I anonymously report the Establishment Clause being broken?

My daughter's public school principal has put up Christian symbols and quotes and also invited a public speaker to present during an assembly who told students that God and prayer was the answer to their problems. Is there a government place where I…
Village
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In which European countries is illegal to publicly state an opinion that in the US would be protected by the first amendment?

I often heard that the US are somehow exceptional in the freedom of speech that they provide to their citizens via the first amendment. However, I never saw an actual comparison with, say, European countries. My question is: In which European…
don
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Does Elon Musk have any grounds for legal action against people who track his plane?

Most airplanes, including Elon Musk's private jet, are required by law to broadcast their location throughout a flight in a well-documented, unencrypted digital format called ADS-B. This system is a critical part of aviation safety infrastructure.…
Someone
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Do the Ohio sheriffs suing Afroman have any legal standing in their claim of "invasion of privacy and misappropriation of their likenesses" lawsuit?

From this article “Afroman Sued by Sheriffs for Allegedly Profiting from Raid on his Home. Afroman is reportedly being sued by a number of Ohio sheriff deputies for allegedly profiting off the raid they conducted on his home last summer. The Adams…
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What is the legal distinction between Twitter banning Trump and Trump blocking individuals?

For reference, this recent NPR article contains all of the information that inspired this question. The lawsuits referenced in the above article center on then-President Trump blocking individual users on Twitter from interacting with or seeing his…
Geoffrey
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Is the banning of large events in the USA constitutional?

Recently several US cities banned large gatherings of events such as listed here. Given that the 1st amendment of the US constitution states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise…
Eric Johnson
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Is the new Texas law on social media invalid on first amendment grounds?

I have just seen this video on Youtube: "Republican Texas governor Greg Abbott has signed a law that forbids social media companies from banning people from their platforms based on their location and/or their politics. " I presume this is intended…
Pete
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Would a giant "F*** BIDEN" flag mounted on a truck be first amendment protected?

I recently saw one of those trucks with flags mounted on them. The usual kind: big truck, 4'x6' flags, usually supporting Don't Tread On Me, Donald Trump, MIA, etc. Or the actual American flag. They are legal by the first amendment and don't cause…
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Will Florida Social Media Bill Allow Trump back Online?

Does the Florida Social Media Bill Allow Trump to Be Back on Twitter and Facebook? It prohibits internet companies from banning Politicians on social media. "SB 7072 also bars social media platforms from restricting “journalistic enterprises,” which…
user38006
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Is wearing ACLU's "Let People Vote Pin" to the polling place considered electioneering?

For context, the region I'm in is Sangamon County, Illinois. I ordered an ACLU pin from their shop. I expect it to arrive before November 3rd and I am excited to wear it at the polling place. I am, however, not certain if this is permitted under the…
Parker Gibson
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University prohibits professors from testifying

Context: ABC news has published: University of Florida Prohibits Professors from Testifying The University of Florida is a State College (not a private college) and has indicated the University is a "state actor": “UF will deny its employees’…
gatorback
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Can U.S. states establish state religions?

The first amendment says: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to …
Christopher King
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First amendment and employment: Can a police department terminate an officer for speech?

The following article from CNN describes a Michigan police officer being put on administrative leave for having KKK material at his home: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/10/us/michigan-officer-placed-on-leave-kkk-document-house/index.html. The materials…
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Is presenting a play showing Military characters in a bad light a crime in the US? Or does the First Admendment prevent this?

This is a followup to Is it illegal to wear military surplus clothing? US Law 10 USC 771 provides that only members of the US military may wear: ...the uniform, or a distinctive part of the uniform, of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine…
David Siegel
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How are Trump's actions against NFL protesters not a violation of Constitutional rights?

I've been casually following the NFL player protests against injustice in modern America. Often the controversy is centered around players like Colin Kaepernick, whose career seems to be over even though he was a [valuable] franchise player and…
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