Animal Cruelty in Media
Constitutionality of the Government Ban
The First Amendment right to freedom of speech is not unlimited. Throughout American history, the U.S. Supreme Court has carved out exceptions to the rule. For instance, one cannot make false and harmful statements about another person. One cannot make comments that cause panic, or incite criminal acts or treason. And government can prohibit the publication or possession some types of "obscene" material, such as child pornography. The Supreme Court is now considering a new exception to the First Amendment — one that would allow the government to prohibit the creation and distribution of videos depicting cruelty to animals. The…
