The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression is filing a federal lawsuit on behalf of the company to protect NewsGuard’s First Amendment rights and remind the federal government it has no business using its power to censor journalism whose reporting it opposes. tinyurl.com/ycjpbe9x

Washington Post publisher Will Lewis said Feb. 7 that he would step down, ending a troubled tenure three days after the newspaper said it was laying off a third of its staff. tinyurl.com/aj22my5a

Quoting from earlier court rulings, the appeals court on Wednesday explicitly noted the importance of the Tennessee Public Records Act as “a tool to hold government officials and agencies accountable to the citizens of Tennessee through oversight in government activities.” tinyurl.com/5y6wmzxd

The Washington Post laid off a third of its staff on Feb. 4, eliminating its sports section, several foreign bureaus and its books coverage in a widespread purge that represented a brutal blow to journalism and one of its most legendary brands. tinyurl.com/4etvbb5p

Tullahoma, a small city on I-24 between Nashville and Chattanooga, may seem like an unlikely place for a big First Amendment challenge, but for several years one has played out there — and mid-January brought a victory for free speech among high school students. tinyurl.com/ynsbs5jn

In the latest newsletter … Don Lemon, church and press … social media used to suppress dissent? … Stars and Stripes mission debate … Alabama student magazine shutdowns … and much more First Amendment and journalism news. tinyurl.com/5n7b7h3x

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Feb. 2 announced two more arrests following a protest at a Minnesota church against the immigration crackdown, bringing the number of people arrested to nine. tinyurl.com/46c4p83z

“I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now,” Lemon said. “In fact there is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.” tinyurl.com/53dk2xxb

“This was only the first case — there are hundreds of parents and school districts in the social media addiction trials that start today,” said Sacha Haworth, executive director of the nonprofit Tech Oversight Project. tinyurl.com/5977fhaf

"The Americans who serve in our Armed Forces deserve more than information that flatters authority," writes Rufus Friday. "They deserve journalism that respects them enough to tell the truth." tinyurl.com/2ycv5rj2

Weiss said that “we in this building need to reflect more of the political friction that animates our national conversation” and “widen the aperture” of stories that CBS tells and voices that the network speaks to. tinyurl.com/36r55x6v

USA Today Co., which owns the Detroit Free Press, said Monday that it plans to acquire the Detroit News and bring both major metropolitan newspapers under its banner. tinyurl.com/3c8a9avc

“Who controls TikTok in the U.S. has a lot of sway over what Americans see on the app,” said Anupam Chander, a professor of law and technology at Georgetown University. tinyurl.com/rrjnxzr8

A prominent civil rights attorney and at least two other people involved in an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a worship service at a Minnesota church have been arrested, Trump administration officials said Jan. 22. tinyurl.com/2vcdkmwx

The U.S. Department of Justice said Jan. 18 it was investigating a group of protesters in Minnesota who disrupted worship services at a church where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently serves as a pastor. tinyurl.com/3mxsfs2k

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pulled back from his stated commitment to help fund local journalism, the journalism think-tank NiemanLab reported Jan. 20. tinyurl.com/3f7bs7ka

The action “signals a growing assault on independent reporting and undermines the First Amendment,” said Tim Richardson, journalism and disinformation program director at the advocacy group PEN America. tinyurl.com/yc6vawkf

A Texas teachers union sued the state’s education department last week, accusing it of an improper “wave of retaliation” against public school employees over their social media comments following the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk. tinyurl.com/4t2s9pza

Misrepresented and fabricated images spread widely on social media in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman, Renee Good, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Jan. 7. tinyurl.com/2mz2835d

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette‘s owners announced Jan. 7 that the newspaper would shut down in a few months. tinyurl.com/3hharffv

In the latest newsletter … Trump tests First Amendment … A.I. fear and loathing … pronoun policies … CBS News reboot … Betty Boop enters public domain … and much more First Amendment and journalism news. tinyurl.com/muahb7vh

“What the so-called legacy Pentagon press corps has demonstrated is it can act responsibly, as it always has, to protect troops’ lives,” said Barbara Starr, a former CNN defense correspondent. tinyurl.com/2chzubz9

By any measure, 2025 was a stressful year for those who worry about the First Amendment and its status as the bedrock of American liberty. tinyurl.com/4hywzrey

“The Michigan law discriminates based on viewpoint — meaning the law permits speech on a particular topic only if the speech expresses a viewpoint that the government itself approves,” Judge Raymond Kethledge wrote, joined by Judge Joan Larsen. tinyurl.com/bexbwrn2

“It is inconceivable that Puerto Rico’s leaders would go out of their way to harm their constituents’ access to information and degrade the quality of press freedom on the island,” said Clayton Weimers, executive director for Reporters Without Borders in North America. tinyurl.com/ye6kua72

“‘Chilling effect’ does not begin to describe the neutering of our political coverage,” said Doug Sovern, a former political journalist at KCBS. tinyurl.com/h2ceraf8

In her ruling Dec. 8, Chief U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper wrote that Öztürk was likely to succeed on claims that the termination was “arbitrary and capricious, contrary to law and in violation of the First Amendment.” tinyurl.com/m6napupb

“Those announcements lead to more uncertainty and greater anxiety among the current CNN staff and among those of us who served for many years as leaders of CNN under Ted,” said Tom Johnson, former CNN president in the 1990s. tinyurl.com/3xdxsbee

Conservative Supreme Court justices on Dec. 9 appeared to back a Republican-led drive that would erase limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president and overturn a quarter-century-old decision. tinyurl.com/yc55kzt9

In the latest newsletter … Trump’s news-media “hall of shame” … Times sues Pentagon … pregnancy centers and free speech … U. of Alabama suspends student magazines over DEI compliance … and much more First Amendment and journalism news. tinyurl.com/3s9hpdvc

“Leaving the Fifth Circuit’s ruling in place erodes the most elemental principles of free speech and allows state and local governments to exert ideological control over the people with impunity,” said Elly Brinkley, attorney for U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America. tinyurl.com/4u5k45cj

"I’ve seen little change on America’s campuses that isn’t also a direct reflection of what’s happening in every community in the nation," writes Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center. tinyurl.com/5n7bp4f5

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the White House launched a web portal it says will spotlight bias on the part of news outlets, targeting The Boston Globe, CBS News and The Independent as its inaugural “media offender of the week.” tinyurl.com/2xbesb7x

"If free speech only survives during moments of convenience, it’s not really free. It is permission masquerading as principle. And permission always has an expiration date," writes FIRE's Samuel J. Abrams. tinyurl.com/57wznhj8

“The policy is an attempt to exert control over reporting the government dislikes,” said Charles Stadtlander, spokesman for the New York Times. tinyurl.com/3p3hu6rd

The Supreme Court seemed likely on Dec. 2 to side with a faith-based pregnancy center raising First Amendment concerns about an investigation into whether it misled people to discourage abortions. tinyurl.com/ys4sbpy2

“Denying access to briefings to credible and nonpartisan news media that routinely cover the Pentagon is not conducive to transparency for the American public, who fund the department’s budget to the tune of many hundreds of billions of dollars per year,” said Marc Lavine. tinyurl.com/2n475d4j

“The negativity, the feeling that news is biased, is just a reflection of how their parents feel,” said Howard Schneider, executive director of SUNY Stony Brook's Center for News Literacy. “The more exposed to news, legitimate news, the more their attitudes turn positive.” tinyurl.com/mryy42wa

As the Second Red Scare shows, when free speech is under attack, strategic compliance may be useful for individuals. However, bold and courageous acts of dissent are critical for protecting First Amendment rights for everyone. tinyurl.com/2wnzwm6t

In the latest newsletter … Trump’s “piggy” insult … AP vs. Trump in court … UFO burger mural … anarchist magazines … and much more First Amendment and journalism news. tinyurl.com/bdhzaz9f

“Letting the government control which journalists can cover the highest office in the land and setting rules about what those journalists can say or write is a direct attempt to undercut the First Amendment,” wrote Julie Pace, AP's executive editor. “It should worry all of us.” tinyurl.com/2av65k32

Today, Nov. 24, The Associated Press will be back in court to defend itself against the White House and standing up for the right to speak and report freely without government retaliation. AP Executive Editor Julie Pace has written an op-ed about why AP has taken this stand. tinyurl.com/mwkyupka

Authorities in Tennessee have dropped a felony charge against a man who was jailed for more than a month over a Facebook post he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. tinyurl.com/56ky22a8

A U.S. appeals court on Nov. 18 paused a California law set to take effect in January requiring large companies to report every two years on how climate change could hurt them financially. tinyurl.com/24j8y4eh

The emails to and from Jeffrey Epstein released last week shine a light on the delicate relationship between reporters and their sources. And, as can be the case, bright light isn’t always flattering. tinyurl.com/mrymam2h

We already have professionals doing their job, while also using a process whereby their decisions can be questioned. What does the state expect to find nestled between Mary Poppins and Winnie the Pooh in a children’s library? tinyurl.com/bdhj38jn

The electronic book, published by the First Amendment Press at Middle Tennessee State University, offers a highly accessible guide to incorporating First Amendment education into existing courses or in stand-alone lessons. tinyurl.com/33zaa9cp

The court explained that “polls are a mere snapshot of a dynamic and changing electorate” and “the results of an opinion poll are not an actionable false representation merely because the anticipated results differ from what eventually occurred.” tinyurl.com/4z3a6by9

In a different time, the BBC episode would likely have led to a quick admission of a mistake, a correction, and an apology, and everyone would have moved on, said Mark Lukasiewicz, a former NBC News executive and now dean of Hofstra University’s School of Communication. tinyurl.com/8sx9nedp

“They intentionally wanted to harass us for reporting the news, and you’re not supposed to do that in a democracy,” the newspaper's editor and publisher, Eric Meyer, said Nov. 11. tinyurl.com/3upcae6r