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Freedom of Speech/Press News

United Kingdom: Courts battle social media in flap over soccer star’s alleged affair

donal brown May 24, 2011

A British soccer star obtained a court order forbidding the traditional news media from publishing details of his alleged affair with a “Big Brother” contestant, but the effect 0f the injunction waxed small in the wake of some 75,00o weekend postings about the affair on the social media. The judge stubbornly reaffirmed the need for the injunction to protect the soccer player’s privacy, but the prime minister said in light of what happened in this

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Free speech: High school girls’ risque photos subject of federal suit

donal brown May 24, 2011

Two sophomore girls are suing their Indiana school district in federal court after they were disciplined for posting online photos of themselves posing with phallic lollipops. Both the girls and the district are basing their pleas on the Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines, the district arguing that the photos appeal to prurient interests and as such were disruptive and run counter to the values of public education. The girls argue that the photos

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College publications director wins first round in case over speech criticizing employer

donal brown May 23, 2011

Operating under the umbrella of the Supreme Court decision limiting employee speech, a college publications director won the first round in a lawsuit against her college for firing her for saying that the college forced employees to do political work. A federal district  judge reinstated he woman’s suit saying that as a statement on corruption, the speech was a matter of public interest and protected under the First Amendment. -db From a commentary for the

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Federal appeals court reinstates defamation suit holding that broadcast omitted key details

donal brown May 23, 2011

A federal appeals court held that a West Virginia daycare owner could pursue a defamation suit against a television station for omitting the fact that alleged abuse was tied to a single incident of child-to-child contact. A trial court had found that for the station on the grounds that all statements in the broadcast were true, but the appeals court  wrote about the omission of facts, “A reasonable jury could find that this statement [the

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California union subject to defamation suit as state court denies SLAPP claim

donal brown May 23, 2011

A California labor union is facing a defamation suit after a state appellate court ruled that a company executive was justified in filing suit against the union for distributing unflattering leaflets to the executive’s neighbors. The court ruled that the leafletting concerned a private matter, did not rise to the level of public interest and so was not protected under California’s anti-SLAPP law that outlaws strategic lawsuits against public participation. -db From the Metropolitan News-Enterprise,

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