Posted: April 11th, 2017

Freedom of Speech, Press, and Assembly: Today and Tomorrow

Freedom of Speech, Press, and Assembly: Today and Tomorrow. Certain freedoms identified and protected by the Constitution have been the subject of intense political, social, and cultural controversy. The right of all Americans to believe, say, and write what they want, to protest in our streets, and to challenge the pervading political, social, cultural thoughts of the day are the most fundamental of American freedoms. Yet, these freedoms have been, are, and will continue to be modified and will evolve as our nation evolves. For instance, in the last 10 years, numerous types of social media have been developed that have changed the way society operates. New versions of social media, from Facebook to SnapChat, are available at the click of a button – and even on our cellphones. When the Founding Fathers wrote the U.S. Constitution, they had no idea how technology would advance or how this would impact citizens’ rights. Is virtual freedom of speech the same as freedom of speech in other media outlets (i.e., freedom of the press)? What are some of the civil liberty balancing concerns between freedom of speech/civil liberty supporters and security/law enforcement officials? Be sure to consider the Reno v. ACLU case, found in your course text, in your response.