Facts On File Inc Allport, A: Freedom of Speech

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees American citizens the rights of freedom of speech and of the press. When the rights to self-expression and publication clash with other rights, however, it becomes the government's job to prioritize rights and resolve the conflict. Although First Amendment rights have been negotiated constantly since their establishment, free speech controversies assume new dimensions in the age of digital media. But what is "speech" in the digital age? Are some kinds of speech worthier of protection than others? Has social media shifted the boundaries between public and private speech? Does American speech on the Internet remain protected in different nations with different laws? This updated edition of Freedom of Speech addresses these questions and discusses other recent challenges to free speech.