The hottest First Amendment Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

How Would You Like This Wrapped?

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 65 implied HN points • 05 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. The First Amendment is facing new challenges, with proposals that could limit free speech under the guise of protecting certain groups.
  2. There's a history of controlling speech, especially with the idea of 'free speech zones,' which may seem helpful but can actually suppress voices.
  3. Both sides of the political spectrum have used speech control to their advantage, but this could come back to haunt them as the rules change.

Julian Assange’s Grand Inquisitor

The Chris Hedges Report • 213 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics First Amendment
  1. The prosecution in Julian Assange's extradition case relies heavily on controversial U.S. attorney Gordon Kromberg's judicial opinions, making claims that did not convince High Court judges.
  2. Julian Assange's defense demonstrated that the allegations against him, such as endangering lives by releasing unredacted documents, were debunked, and the U.S. lacks substantial evidence.
  3. Gordon Kromberg, the prosecutor, has a history of fervently going after individuals, like Palestinian activists, using dubious methods, and his attempts to implicate individuals, like Chelsea Manning, demonstrate his aggressive tactics in legal proceedings.
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Preserving religious freedom in the workplace

Adam's Legal Newsletter • 79 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects religious freedom in the workplace but requires employers to make accommodations without causing undue hardship, often defined as minimal harm or cost to the business.
  2. Interpreting Title VII in line with traditional conceptions of religious liberty can help navigate the complex idea of 'undue hardship' and ensure protections while avoiding financial burdens on employers.
  3. The case of Groff v. DeJoy highlights the challenge of balancing religious accommodations with fair treatment to all employees, showing the importance of upholding anti-discrimination principles in interpreting the law.

We have filed our responses to the defense motions to dismiss in Berenson v Biden

Unreported Truths • 59 implied HN points • 17 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. A lawsuit was filed to challenge how the government, Twitter, and Pfizer worked together to ban someone from social media. One email showed direct communication between these parties about that ban.
  2. There are important legal questions about whether people whose First Amendment rights were violated can sue the government for money. Currently, federal law doesn’t clearly support this for First Amendment claims.
  3. Another key point is if unvaccinated people are considered a protected group under the law. This case argues that their rights as individuals should be protected, rather than focusing on their vaccination status.

What's the difference between a Nazi and a pornographer?

reedmolbak • 19 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Content moderation is a complex issue for platforms like Substack, with controversies around what kind of content should or should not be allowed.
  2. Substack's moderation policies are driven by a mix of factors, including branding, promotion of free speech, and distinguishing between harmful content and open discourse of ideas.
  3. There's a fine line between allowing free speech and banning harmful content, and platforms like Substack make value judgments based on what is considered harmful or not communicating ideas.

The First Amendment Protects Ideologically Based Ad Boycotts

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 11 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. The First Amendment protects the right to boycott companies based on political beliefs. This means people can choose where to spend their advertising money without fear of legal repercussions.
  2. There are concerns that government actions are trying to limit this freedom of speech. Some believe that investigations into advertisers and their decisions could violate their rights.
  3. Court cases have historically upheld the right to boycott for ideological reasons. It's likely that the Supreme Court will continue to protect this right, even amid pressures from government officials.

Free Speech

Tom Thought • 19 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Free speech is more than just the first amendment; it's about physical constraints, tools, and audience access, freedom from reprisal, and cultural receptiveness to new ideas.
  2. Freedom of speech is heavily influenced by financial and social resources, where those who are well-financed and well-connected are heard more clearly than those who are not.
  3. Free speech is practical and useful for generating robust dialogue, debate, and embracing new ideas, but it isn't the only thing that matters in society; there are tradeoffs to consider.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association Want the Government to Censor Americans

Silent Lunch, The David Zweig Newsletter • 72 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Top medical organizations are advocating for the government to censor Americans' free speech.
  2. The brief argues that the government should combat 'vaccine misinformation' and be the ultimate decider of truth.
  3. It is concerning that prestigious medical associations are pushing to suppress information and control what is considered 'misinformation'.

Trump Hit by Sweeping Gag Order

The Reactionary • 75 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. A District of Columbia federal judge has restricted Trump's ability to speak during his Presidential campaign.
  2. The judge considered a gag order proposed by Special Counsel Jack Smith to prevent Trump from criticizing the Court and others involved in the case.
  3. Trump's attorneys argued that the gag order was an attempt by the Biden Administration to silence a political opponent.

How Berenson v Biden has been caught up in two big Supreme Court cases over government efforts to control free speech

Unreported Truths • 47 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. The Supreme Court is involved in important cases regarding government control of free speech.
  2. Berenson v Biden lawsuit focuses on censorship, involves multiple defendants, and can proceed independently of the Missouri case.
  3. Additional free speech case before the Supreme Court involves the NRA and New York state's actions against the organization.

OSD 265: What is technology controlled by a foreign adversary?

Open Source Defense • 31 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Technology controlled by a foreign adversary raises concerns about government control over app stores and websites.
  2. The debate over restricting technology based on geopolitical concerns challenges free speech principles and individual freedoms.
  3. There's a contrast between how free speech and gun rights are viewed in the US, highlighting the potential for progress in the Second Amendment space.

My Pensacola lecture on the First Amendment (part two)

Unreported Truths • 31 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Covid skepticism on Twitter caused elites to censor individuals, leading to a divide between Team Reality and Team Apocalypse.
  2. Social media played a significant role in challenging lockdowns and promoting vaccine skepticism, despite elite control attempts.
  3. The legal complexities of Section 230 allowed social media companies power over user content, impacting free speech and censorship decisions.

Ultra Vires ('Beyond the Powers')

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. The State Department is accused of censoring and limiting the circulation of disfavored press outlets, violating the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
  2. The lawsuit filed by media organizations like The Daily Wire and The Federalist alleges that the State Department is funding censorship technology to suppress certain American news outlets.
  3. The plaintiffs filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction to stop the Department of State from supporting technology that targets Americans' speech or press.

Congressional News

Who is Robert Malone • 15 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. A report uncovers how the National Science Foundation funds automated tools for online censorship, attempting to keep its actions hidden.
  2. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene introduces the Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2024, addressing fair treatment of nonviolent political protestors and government accountability.
  3. John Strand, facing a 32-month prison sentence, rejected a plea deal after being found guilty in relation to the events of January 6, with media portrayal seen as biased and sensationalized.

ketanji brown and the template of doom

bad cattitude • 10 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Ensuring freedom of speech is crucial in the modern public square - without it, we risk losing our rights and becoming subject to censorship by the government or other entities.
  2. The First Amendment is designed to protect people from the government and any attempt to suppress speech by those in power should be questioned and challenged.
  3. Censorship inhibits meaningful discourse and the search for truth - the remedy for wrong speech is more speech, not silencing differing opinions.

I Don't Think Elon Likes Me

Aaron Greenspan • 18 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Elon Musk is suing the author for accurately publishing his own words.
  2. The author stood up to Elon Musk by publishing negative feedback and faced backlash.
  3. Elon Musk filed a lawsuit against the author for publishing his own statements, attempting to shift legal liability.

Free Speech: How slippery is your slope?

Moral Mayhem Podcast • 0 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics First Amendment
  1. Free speech has real value, but it comes with challenges in deciding what is acceptable. We need to think carefully about what we allow and why.
  2. There are tricky situations like hate speech and pornography that raise questions about when free speech should be limited.
  3. The recent discussions about antisemitism and freedom of speech at places like Harvard show how complicated and important these issues are right now.

Abortion advertising in 1971

First principles trivia • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jun 22
💾 History First Amendment
  1. In 1971, a billboard in Pennsylvania advertised abortions in New York for under $250, which is equivalent to $1800 today when adjusted for inflation.
  2. The advertising of abortion services was controversial and taboo in the 70s, with public outrage and legal debates surrounding the billboards.
  3. The history of abortion advertising shows evolving social attitudes, from discreet underground referrals to more open advertising today, protected by the First Amendment.