free speech

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Brazil Reverses Ban on 'Gay Jesus' Netflix Film

Judge says freedom of speech is essential

(Newser) - The president of Brazil's top court has reversed a ban on a Netflix film that infuriated millions of Christians. Supreme Court president Dias Toffoli ruled Thursday that Netflix should be allowed to continue streaming The First Temptation of Christ, a satire which depicts Jesus Christ as a gay man,...

Social Network Writer to FB CEO: Stop 'Assaulting Truth'

Aaron Sorkin takes Mark Zuckerberg to task for not vetting political ads

(Newser) - Mark Zuckerberg has been making the rounds defending Facebook's decision not to fact-check or censor political ads, saying he doesn't feel the social media site should be in the business of stymieing free speech. Except screenwriter Aaron Sorkin doesn't exactly think that's what Facebook's move...

She Told Boyfriend to Die. Now She Wants to Go to Supreme Court

Michelle Carter's lawyers say her 'words alone' shouldn't make her liable for Conrad Roy's death

(Newser) - Michelle Carter's "words alone" shouldn't be to blame for the death of Conrad Roy. That's the premise her legal team is pushing in a new petition asking the Supreme Court to review her case in her quest to get her involuntary manslaughter conviction overturned, BuzzFeed...

She Knocked Her Country on Free Speech. Now She's Banned There

Sherine Abdel-Wahab made comments in Bahrain, now can't perform in Egypt

(Newser) - An Egyptian singer has been banned from performing in her home country after suggesting that it doesn't respect free speech. A video clip circulated online shows Sherine Abdel-Wahab, during a performance in Bahrain, saying: "Here I can say whatever I want. In Egypt, anyone who talks gets imprisoned....

Putin Signs Law Against Insulting Him Online

Bills introduce punishments for 'fake news'

(Newser) - Vladimir Putin has signed bills banning what the state calls "fake news," although the Russian president's critics see the legislation as a thinly disguised crackdown on real news—and criticism of the authorities. The new laws introduce punishments for anybody who "exhibits blatant disrespect for the...

Texas AG Pushes Back on Teen's Suit Over Pledge

It's an unusual move for an attorney general to make, the expelled girl's lawyer says

(Newser) - A black teen's lawsuit against a Texas school district over her refusal to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance has spurred what her lawyer calls a "rare" move from the state's attorney general. The BBC reports on how India Landry, now 18, was expelled last October from...

Zuckerberg Runs Into Backlash Over Holocaust Comments
Zuckerberg Runs Into Backlash
Over Holocaust Comments
the rundown

Zuckerberg Runs Into Backlash Over Holocaust Comments

He spoke of how Facebook wouldn't remove posts denying it took place

(Newser) - Mark Zuckerberg has found himself mired in a new controversy, this time stemming from comments he made about Holocaust deniers who post on Facebook. In an interview with Kara Swisher of recode, Zuckerberg was discussing the kinds of things Facebook does and does not take down, and he said that...

Trump Wants His Blocking Privilege Back

DOJ appeals court ruling as Twitter users are unblocked

(Newser) - "We whined. We complained. We sued. We won our First Amendment lawsuit in federal court. And now @realDonaldTrump has unblocked me," University of Maryland sociology professor Philip Cohen tweeted Monday. The Justice Department later confirmed all seven plaintiffs who successfully argued President Trump violated their right to free...

Professor Who Decried 'Racist' Barbara Bush Gains Support

Including from a Fresno State lecturer demoted for a tweet about Trump

(Newser) - Free speech activists are lending support to a Fresno State professor threatened with possible disciplinary measures after referring to Barbara Bush as an "amazing racist," who is "still fabulous, thanks for checking in." Randa Jarrar on Wednesday tweeted "love to all of you who have...

Ingraham Returns to Fox, Goes Whole Hog on Free Speech

The 'Left' is trying to 'silence conservatives,' host said Monday night on 'The Ingraham Angle'

(Newser) - Laura Ingraham returned to her Fox News show Monday night, as promised by the network, after a week off from the controversy over her snarky tweet toward Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg. But although Ingraham didn't mention the hubbub directly, Deadline notes she was back Monday in "full...

One Country Just Banned &#39;Fake News&#39;
One Country Just
Banned 'Fake News'

One Country Just Banned 'Fake News'

But critics say Malaysia is really just muzzling media, putting lid on scandal ahead of elections

(Newser) - Malaysia passed a new law Monday prohibiting "fake news," a move critics fear will be used to silence dissent ahead of elections, reports the AP . Despite criticism from opposition lawmakers that the legislation will lead Malaysia closer to dictatorship, the bill was approved after heated debate, with 123...

Man Says Hometown Smells Like 'Rancid Dog Food,' Gets Sued

Josh Harms wins free-speech lawsuit

(Newser) - An Iowa man threatened by city officials with legal action for saying on a website that his hometown smelled like "rancid dog food" has won a free-speech lawsuit, the AP reports. Josh Harms, represented by the ACLU of Iowa, filed suit in US District Court earlier this month asking...

Florida Gadfly Beats the Odds, Gets Back to Supreme Court

Florida resident Fane Lozman returns with a different fight against his home city

(Newser) - Given how many cases the Supreme Court rejects, it's quite a coup if one of your own legal fights ends up being argued there. On Tuesday, Florida resident Fane Lozman had the odds-defying distinction of seeing his second case there in five years. The former commodities trader won his...

Comedian&#39;s Husband Sues After He Is Mentioned in Show
Comedian's Husband Sues
After She Mentions
Him in Show
in case you missed it

Comedian's Husband Sues After She Mentions Him in Show

She says he's trying to silence her

(Newser) - The future of comedy could depend on how much of a sense of humor British judges have when dealing with an unusual defamation lawsuit, legal experts say. Comedian Louise Beaumont says her estranged husband is suing her for mentioning him in her stand-up show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last...

America, Give Your Pastor the Finger With Impunity

Court overturns man's conviction for flipping the bird in church

(Newser) - Georgia's highest court has reversed the conviction of a man who was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge after he held up his middle finger and shouted at his pastor during a service, the AP reports. The unanimous opinion issued Monday says David Freeman's behavior amounts to speech...

Wisconsin Mom Says Swearing at Son Is Free Speech

Ginger Breitzman is appealing jail sentence

(Newser) - The Wisconsin Supreme Court is deciding whether a mother's profane tirade against her 14-year-old son for burning popcorn amounted to free speech. Ginger Breitzman, 44, argued this week that her language wasn't inciting violence or a true threat and therefore is protected speech, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports....

Trump's Twitter Blocks Violate First Amendment: Advocacy Group

Free-speech advocacy group says excluding people is 'unconstitutional'

(Newser) - Blocking people on Twitter is a feature many use liberally to keep their feeds friendly. But should public officials like President Trump be allowed to exclude users in the same fashion? Absolutely not, says the Knight First Amendment Institute, a non-partisan group founded last year at Columbia University that's...

Man Fined $4K for Giving the Thumbs-Up on Facebook

Could be a first in Switzerland, or anywhere

(Newser) - Be careful what you like online, especially if you're in Switzerland—it may get you in trouble for defamation. In what Fortune reports could be a first, a court there has fined an unidentified man the equivalent of more than $4,000 after he liked defamatory comments on Facebook...

Comments on God Could Spell Trouble for Stephen Fry

Irish police are investigating Fry's 2015 interview for blasphemy

(Newser) - Funnyman Stephen Fry may be in hot water in Ireland for comments made during an interview where he candidly calls out someone not to be trifled with on the Emerald Isle: God. Irish police are investigating Fry's February 2015 interview on the RTÉ show The Meaning of Life as...

Coulter Supporters Rally After Berkeley No-Show

Even some opponents voiced free-speech concerns

(Newser) - Ann Coulter didn't turn up in Berkeley Thursday night, where hundreds held a raucous but largely peaceful demonstration in her absence and lamented what they called the latest blow to free speech in the home of America's free speech movement. The conservative pundit's canceled appearance at the...

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