Today I learned via Seattle Weekly that an Oregon blogger was deemed to be unprotected by Oregon’s shield law because, according to the judge, “Internet blogs” aren’t specified in that law. Setting aside that any judicial opinion which uses the term “Internet blogs” as if any other kind exists should be considered de facto nonsense [...]
Doesn’t The Zuccotti Park Ruling Ban Occupation?
Admittedly a layman, I’m nonetheless almost always flummoxed by what seem to be partisan, obfuscatory readings of court rulings, especially when they are written in a fairly straightforward manner. Today’s case in point is the denial of a temporary restraining order against New York City and the private operator of Zuccotti Park after last night’s [...]
Is Media Content-Free Re: “Content Neutral”?
Earlier, discussing the coming spectacle to be made out of funerals for the Arizona shooting victims, I wondered about the fast-tracked law to prevent Westboro Baptist Church from picketing. It remains to be seen how the Arizona legislature plans to ban Westboro from picketing without encountering any constitutional issues, although presumably they’re viewing it as [...]
Wikileaks Subpoena Doesn’t Include Its Followers
I know Wikileaks keeps claiming its followers are subject to the subpoena issued to Twitter (pdf), and I know everyone simply believes them, and I understand which part they use to support the claim, but it’s just not true. (Note: I am not, obviously, a lawyer. But these sorts of things too often spiral into [...]