Media & Communications Law

Facebook plans to create a judicial-like body to address controversial speech

An independent body would hear appeals of content decisions by Facebook, either removing or leaving up posts, and its decisions would be binding.

May 1, 2019 12:45 AM CDT

Plaintiffs seeking to hold social media liable for Pulse nightclub attack lose in 6th Circuit

A federal appeals court upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to hold Twitter, Facebook and Google liable for the Pulse nightclub attacks by a gunman who killed 49 people. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Cincinnati said the plaintiffs had failed to allege any direct…

Apr 17, 2019 11:32 AM CDT

Beating the odds, lawyer mentors at-risk youth

Charla Claypool, a member of the litigation department of Lewis Rice in St. Louis, notes her work mentoring and guiding youth, especially at-risk young women.

Apr 1, 2019 1:50 AM CDT

Google Plus’ shutdown brings up ethical, legal questions about companies’ data retention obligations

Data stored in Google’s failed social network raises retention issues, not only for litigation purposes, but also for business continuity. Technologists and attorneys recommend data archival and contractual strategies to avoid losing important data.

Apr 1, 2019 1:10 AM CDT

Catch and Kill: Can tabloids hide behind the First Amendment?

Buying a story specifically to suppress it is known in the tabloid world as “catch and kill.” Should it be protected action under the First Amendment?

Apr 1, 2019 12:10 AM CDT

Social Clashes: Digital free speech is a hot legal battleground

Social media litigation raises serious concerns about the future of free speech, including attempts at censorship by government actors critical of comments on social media, the shifting standards of private platforms to censor online expression and the rise of hate and extremist speech in the digital world.

Apr 1, 2019 12:05 AM CDT

Traumatized crime and courts reporter entitled to damages, Australian court says

An Australian court has awarded about $127,000 in U.S. currency ($180,000 in Australian currency) to a former journalist for a Melbourne newspaper for the psychological injury she suffered while covering crime and courts for a decade. The County Court of Victoria ruled on Feb. 22 in a case by a…

Mar 11, 2019 11:16 AM CDT

Federal judge tosses prof’s libel suit against New York Times, laments ‘fake news’ attacks on media

A University of Florida professor’s emails are public records that trigger the state’s fair reports privilege, a federal judge has ruled in tossing a libel case against the New York Times. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker of the Northern District of Florida ruled Wednesday against University of Florida horticulture professor…

Mar 1, 2019 9:37 AM CST

Is a tweeted question defamatory? 6th Circuit rules for James Woods over Nazi salute tweet

A question mark at the end of a tweet by actor James Woods gave him protection in a defamation suit by a Bernie Sanders supporter. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that Woods’ tweeted question—which asked whether the plaintiff gave the Nazi salute at a Trump…

Feb 28, 2019 11:55 AM CST

Judge and her husband lose libel appeal over parking spot article

A lawyer and his wife, a judge in New York City, can’t pursue a libel suit against the publisher of the New York Post and two other defendants, according to a New York appeals court. The Appellate Division’s Second Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court ruled against…

Feb 27, 2019 4:16 PM CST

Student free speech case ‘chipped away’ at after 50 years, but ‘overall idea’ remains

Mary Beth and John Tinker remain as engaged and committed to young people’s free-expression rights as they were more than 50 years ago when they were suspended from their middle and high schools in Des Moines, Iowa, for wearing black peace armbands.

Feb 25, 2019 6:00 AM CST

Wrongly released documents in student’s drowning death show lifeguard ignored warnings

A lifeguard ignored warnings by three students before discovery of a body at the bottom of a school swimming pool in Chicago, according to documents approved for release by a Chicago judge last week. Judge Peter Flynn of Cook County had initially banned publication of the documents in the 2017…

Feb 11, 2019 10:56 AM CST

Pacer should be free, according to amicus brief by Posner and 6 other retired judges

Updated: Plaintiffs who claim Pacer fees are illegally excessive are getting lots of support in amicus briefs filed in their pending federal appeal.

Feb 4, 2019 8:10 AM CST

Sandy Hook families may see finance data of radio show that espoused hoax claim, judge rules

The families of shooting victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, are entitled to see business and marketing documents of a radio show perpetrating a theory that the mass shooting was a hoax, a Connecticut state judge has ruled. Judge Barbara Bellis ruled Friday in a defamation suit…

Jan 14, 2019 11:47 AM CST

Iowa’s ‘ag-gag’ law violates First Amendment, federal judge rules

A federal judge on Wednesday struck down an Iowa law that makes it a crime to obtain access to an agricultural production facility under false pretenses. U.S. District Judge James Gritzner of Des Moines said the “ag-gag” law violates the First Amendment, report Courthouse News Service, the Associated Press and…

Jan 10, 2019 3:19 PM CST