Freedom of Speech--ComS 147

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Freedom of Speech--ComS 147

• January 31, 2001
• Arent you glad you dont go to school at DeAnza
  College?

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Free Speech Basics

• Freedom from govt. sanction or censorship
• Freedom from compulsory speech
• Freedom of access to effective channels
• Freedom from govt. domination of the speech
  environment

• Justifications
• vital to self-govt.
• promotes the discovery of truth
• promotes individual autonomy
• regulation creep
• Burnett adds 5--safety valve

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Free Speech Basics, part 2

• Why restrict?
• individual rights v. communitarian needs
• speech rights shouldnt supercede other rights
• speech rights dont guarantee freedom

• High value speech
• political speech
• Medium value speech
• advertising
• Low value speech
• defamation, conspiracy

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Absolutism v. Balancing

• Types of Balancing tests
• Narrowly tailored restrictions that must advance
  compelling government interest
• Preferred position
• Ad hoc balancing
• Doctrinal tests
• Vagueness
• Overbreadth