Can private companies restrict free speech?
The text of the First Amendment itself only prevents Congress (i.e., U.S. Congress) from making laws that restrict the freedom of speech. In other words, a private person or private company (such as a social media company) cannot violate your constitutional free speech rights, only the government can do so.
Does freedom of speech apply to YouTube?
YouTube is not a “public forum” that must guarantee users’ rights to free speech, a US court has ruled. But judges decided that the US constitution’s First Amendment did not apply to YouTube, a private company. The landmark ruling by US judges could affect future cases involving freedom of speech online.
Does the Bill of Rights apply to private companies?
The guarantees of the Bill of Rights apply only to state and federal government action. They do not limit what a company or person in the private sector may do. States have rights, too.
Is YouTube a private company or a public company?
YouTube is a private company, so it is natural that it looks… Kialo.
Can private companies regulate speech?
No, the First Amendment does not limit private employers. The Bill of Rights — and the First Amendment — limit only government actors, not private actors. This means that private employers can restrict employee speech in the workplace without running afoul of the First Amendment.
Can private businesses regulate speech?
Although private employers may regulate political speech in the workplace without violating the Constitution, some state laws specifically protect political expression. In California, employees cannot be discriminated against based upon their political affiliation or political activity, Alexander noted.
How does YouTube define hate speech?
We consider content hate speech when it incites hatred or violence against groups based on protected attributes such as age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Is YouTube a private business?
YouTube channels are public, but you can set all the content on a channel to private. Businesses control who can (and can’t) see their content by making the videos private.
Why is YouTube a private company?
YouTube does not exercise any attributes of a state-created municipality online. It is only a private platform where people can share videos. Facebook and Twitter, for that matter, are private platforms where people can share all sorts of content.
Can private companies violate the First Amendment?
It applies to federal, state, and local government actors. This is a broad category that includes not only lawmakers and elected officials, but also public schools and universities, courts, and police officers. It does not include private citizens, businesses, and organizations.
Can you be fired for freedom of speech?
The first thing to know about the First Amendment is that it is a limit only on government. If your employer is a private entity, the First Amendment offers you no protection from being fired on account of what you say.
Which of the following are not allowed to regulate or punish legally protected speech?
Categories of speech that are given lesser or no protection by the First Amendment (and therefore may be restricted) include obscenity, fraud, child pornography, speech integral to illegal conduct, speech that incites imminent lawless action, speech that violates intellectual property law, true threats, and commercial …