News

FEPP provides news briefs explaining developments in free expression cases and controversies:

Supreme Court Will Review "Fleeting Expletives" Case
(March 13, 2008) - A showdown is looming over FCC censorship of "indecency" on the airwaves.

The Harry Potter Lexicon Goes to Court
(March 8, 2008) - J.K. Rowling claims copyright infringement while the Lexicon publisher argues fair use. A federal judge will soon decide.

Protecting "PEG" Access
(January 16, 2008) - A federal court stops Comcast's plan to exile public access channels to cable Siberia - at least for now.

Fair Use and Media Literacy Education
(November 9, 2007) - A new report critiques heavyhanded copyright interpretations and calls for fair use "best practices" in media education.

Can Music Companies Circumvent the "First Sale" Rule?
(October 8, 2007) - A music company is suing to stop an eBay entrepreneur from selling "promo CDs" - even though the first sale rule prevents copyright owners from restricting the future distribution of their works.

Grassroots Alternative Media Meet Academe
(September 19, 2007) - A new book explores media activism in all its passionate diversity.

A Proposal to Police "Morality" in Domain Names
(August 24, 2007) - ICANN is considering a plan to ban any "generic top-level" domain names that "undermine religious, family or social values."

A Huge Victory for Free Speech on the Airwaves
(June 4, 2007) - The U.S. Court of Appeals has invalidated the FCC's ban on "fleeting expletives," and in the process, cast doubt on the constitutionality of the entire "indecency" censorship regime.

"COPA" is Struck Down Again
(March 23, 2007) - A federal court's March 22 decision touts Internet filters as more effective than a criminal law in barring minors from sexual speech.

Confusion Reigns At "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" Argument
(March 21, 2007) - Justice David Souter seemed outnumbered at the Supreme Court argument on March 19 in Morse v. Frederick, the most important student free speech case to reach the Court in 20 years.

"Reclaiming the First Amendment"
(Jan. 22, 2007) - A conference sponsored by the Brennan Center and Hofstra Law School explored the viability of a "right of access" along with other reforms that might help democratize the mass media.

"Bong Hits 4 Jesus"
(Dec. 28, 2006) - An irreverent banner sets the stage for a Supreme Court showdown on students' rights.

Federal Judges Have Hard Questions for FCC Censors
(Dec. 20, 2006) - At oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals, the FCC's lawyer struggled to defend the agency's rules banning "profanity" and "fleeting expletives" on the airwaves.

First Post-CIPA Lawsuit Filed
(Nov. 21, 2006) - The ACLU of Washington has sued a library district for refusing to dismantle Internet filters.

FCC Faces Judicial Challenges to Its Indecency Regime
(Sept. 29, 2006) - Two federal courts are poised to decide whether "fleeting expletives" or "wardrobe malfunctions" can be banned from radio and television.

You Can Play Fantasy Baseball, But Can You Google It?
(August 16, 2006) - Two current "intellectual property" disputes threaten our favorite sit-down sports.

The Joyce Saga: Literary Heirs & Copyright Abuse
(June 15, 2006) - A new lawsuit challenges Stephen Joyce's efforts to control what is said about the Joyce family and the literary works of his famous grandfather.

"Patriot" Act Reforms Are Defeated
(March 17, 2006) - Despite passionate opposition, the most controversial provisions of the "USA Patriot" Act were renewed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush.

A Big Step on "Orphan Works"
(February 9, 2006) - The U.S. Copyright Office is recommending new legislation to encourage distribution and use of works often hidden from public view.

New Reports on the Dangers of Our Clearance Culture
(November 22, 2005) - A filmmakers' "Statement of Best Practices" and a study of flawed "take-down" notices from copyright owners highlight the need for change.

A Tone-Deaf Approach to Music Sampling
(June 3, 2005) - The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has again ruled that the "de minimis" rule doesn't apply to sound recordings.

Sanitizing Movies
(April 2005) - The "Family Movie Act" singles out filmmakers for lesser copyright protection in order to encourage the movie-censoring industry.

Brennan Center Joins Fight for Community Wireless
(February 28, 2005) - A coalition of media democracy groups has asked the FCC to regulate so-called "white spaces" in the broadcast spectrum in order to promote nonprofit community use of a portion of the public airwaves for wireless communications.

Brand X Amicus Brief Urges Court Not to Let Cable Companies Monopolize the Internet
(February 22, 2005) - The Brennan Center and the ACLU have filed a brief urging the Court to reject monopolization of broadband access and preserve free speech online.

For FEPP News in 2000-2004, go to the Archives Page.

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