What does freedom of speech mean to citizens?

On a basic level, it means that people can express an opinion (even an unpopular or unsavory one) without fear of government censorship. It protects all forms of communication, from speeches to art and other media.

What the First Amendment means to me?

The First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

How does the First Amendment work?

The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws which regulate an establishment of religion, or that would prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, or the right to petition …

Can an employer fire you for freedom of speech?

Employees’ Freedom of Speech Outside of Work Nearly all states allow for at-will employment, which means employees can be fired for any reason with or without notice as long as it is not for an illegal reason.

What kinds of speech can be justifiably prohibited in the workplace?

Which types of speech are not protected by the First Amendment?Obscenity.Fighting words.Defamation (including libel and slander)Child pornography.Perjury.Blackmail.Incitement to imminent lawless action.True threats.

What is freedom of speech in the workplace?

Employees have a First Amendment right to express their beliefs, but the First Amendment does not prohibit an employer from terminating an employee for saying something the employer does not like, even if the speech occurs outside of the employee’s work hours.

Do companies have freedom of speech?

Federal Election Commission (2010): Buckley ruled that political spending is protected by the First Amendment right to free speech, while Citizens United ruled that corporate political spending is protected, holding that corporations have a First Amendment right to free speech because they are “associations of citizens …

Should corporations have the same rights as individuals?

Corporations cannot have exactly the same rights as individuals, nor should they. Even as he explained the traditional view that a corporation is a kind of legal person, Hamilton acknowledged that certain kinds of legal rights cannot attach to such a person.

Should corporations be treated as individuals?

Corporations must be treated as corporations, for many purposes, in order to preserve the rights and protect the interests of the persons involved with them. Owners, customers, employees, and creditors would all be worse off if corporations were not treated by courts as persons.

Can a private company violate the First Amendment?

The First Amendment only prohibits government, as opposed to private, abridgement of speech. In an opinion written by Justice Kavanaugh the Supreme Court held that private operators of a public access cable channels aren’t state actors subject to the First Amendment.

Who can violate the First Amendment?

The First Amendment applies only to governmental action—not behavior by private employers, private companies, or private, non-government individuals—unless they acted in concert with government actors.