by Soyini A. Hamit
The academic journal Mass Communication and Society published an article in their May 18, 2012 issue about the frequent use of profanities in Young Adult (YA) books. One of the authors, Dr. Sarah Coyne, assistant professor at Brigham Young University, believes that a rating system should be in place so that parents will know what books are appropriate for their child’s age. The Huffington Post takes a closer look at whether such a system is necessary.
Category: Legal
Pakistani Twitter Ban After Cartoon Contest Raises Concerns Over Country’s Commitment to Free Speech
by Mark Bousquet
A recent ban on Twitter by the Pakistani government highlights the growing conflict between conservative governments and dissatisfied citizens over the use of, and access to, social networking sites. On May 20, Pakistan blocked access to Twitter for part of the day, holding the social networking site responsible for an allegedly blasphemous cartoon contest being run on Facebook. Critics argue that Twitter has given a voice to those who oppose the government’s security practices, and that actions like the May 20 ban give credence to the idea that Pakistan is not interested in having a truly free media.
Florence v. Shurtleff – The What’s and Why’s in Plain Language
Earlier this month, a ruling was handed down in Florence v. Shurtleff, a long-disputed internet censorship law that sought to require Utah’s Attorney General to create a blacklist of websites containing “harmful-to-minors” materials, required ISPs to rate content, and included criminal penalties for violations. CBLDF was among the plaintiff group that challenged the law, which resolved last week after seven years of legal action. Christopher Schiller provides a short overview of the case, including what was at stake for the State and for free expression.
Comics, Courts & Controversy: A Case Study of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
Marc H. Greenberg, a professor at Golden Gate University’s School of Law has published an extensive case study of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and its important work in the Loyola Entertainment Law Review. On the occasion of its publication, Professor Greenberg has prepared remarks about the article and the organization it supports exclusively for CBLDF.org. Read on for Greenberg’s remarks and the full case study.
Access Denied: Library Filter Fail
While researching a story about role-playing-game censorship for CBLDF.org at his local library, CBLDF blog volunteer Justin Brown encountered the cold slap of censorship himself as the result of aggressive filtering software. Brown discusses his experience, and the heritage of filtering laws that requires libraries like his to deny access to content or risk losing public funding after the jump.
Join Charles Brownstein for a Discussion of Free Expression and the PROTECT Act This Wednesday
This Wednesday, you can join CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein for “Is Manga a Crime? Non-photographic images, Child Pornography and Freedom of Expression,” a program that discusses the impact of the PROTECT Act and the transportation of drawn images across international borders. The program is the Digital Media & Fine Arts Committees of the New York State Bar Association Entertainment, Arts, & Sports Law Section, and attorneys who attend can gain 1.5 MCLE credits in professional practice (pending approval).
More details after the jump.
Free Speech Advocates Score Victory in Utah
A victory for Free Speech was claimed yesterday when US District Judge Dee Benson issued an order ruling that people posting constitutionally-protected content on websites cannot be prosecuted for doing so and are not required to label the content they post. The ruling supports the plaintiffs in a lawsuit that opposed a Utah “harmful to minors” law that restricted free expression online. CBLDF was one of the organizations that opposed the law, joining fellow Media Coalition members the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Association of American Publishers, and the Freedom to Read Foundation. Additional plaintiffs included the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah; painter Nathan Florence, the Publishers Marketing Association, and the Sexual Health Network.
Read the official response from the Media Coalition after the jump.
Please help support CBLDF’s work to strike down unconstitutional censorship laws such as this by making a donation or becoming a member of the CBLDF!
Arizona Legislature Narrows Focus of Worrisome Electronic Speech Bill
Earlier this month, we announced that Arizona’s HB 2549 — a bill that could have limited constitutionally-protected electronic speech — had been pulled back by the state legislature for revision. This week, Eugene Volokh with The Volokh Conspiracy laid out those revisions, discussing how the revisions conform to constitutional standards. In sharing a letter written by the Media Coalition in opposition to the bill, CBLDF was one of the first organizations to cover a story that had otherwise flown under the radar. In its original form — which the Arizona legislature had passed and was on Arizona governor Jan Brewer’s desk for signature — the bill could have created vulnerabilities for cartoonists and publishers.
Click through for more on the revisions to HB 2549.
CBLDF’s History of Comics Censorship Presentation, Annotated by Joe Sergi’s Cup of Geek
Joe Sergi, blogger for Cup of Geek went to the CBLDF presentation The History (And Future) of Comics Censorship at C2E2 last weekend and wrote an extensive recap of the panel, with additional research and annotations by the author. CBLDF is pleased to represent Sergi’s post in full as a resource for our members and supporters. Read Sergi’s post after the jump.
Judge Hears Arguments in Case Against Utah Law Restricting Speech on Internet
Last June, CBLDF joined the ACLU of Utah and the Media Coalition in an effort to bar the enforcement of Utah House Bill 260, a law that seeks to restrict constitutionally-protected speech. US District Judge Dee Benson heard arguments about the case this week, but he didn’t issue a ruling. Instead, he directed the parties involved with the case to resolve their differences over two contentious sections of code in the law within the next 30 days.
Click through for more about the case…