Nicole's Media Law Blog

       In the past, the Supreme Court didn't interpret the First Amendment the way we think of it because it stated that Congress shall make no law. This means that states can make their own laws. Because the First Amendment only applied at the federal level, states and localities could take away your freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The defining event that started the discussion about the First Amendment is the 1914 case of Mutual Film versus Ohio Film Commission . The movie Birth of a Nation was causing fights, so Ohio banned the movie. The filmmakers sued under the First Amendment, and they said not allowing us to show our movie is a prior restraint, which is a form of censorship where speech or expression is stopped before it occurs . They said film is not protected by the First Amendment because it is business not speech. Once the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Congress passed the Espionage Act . The Espionage Act allowed the government to pu...

   Interesting Facts about Polygraphs After reading the EOTO post about polygraph tests, I learned some interesting facts. Polygraphs were originally used starting in1892 as medical devices to measure irregular heart rhythms. In 1895, Lombroso modified the machine so it could measure physiological changes in the pulses of suspects being questioned by the police.  The basic form of the polygraph came about in 1915 and the modern polygraph in the year 1921.  It was able to measure several different physiological responses including heart rate, blood pressure and respiration.  In 1939 Keller patented what we know as the modern polygraph and in 1993 statisticians were able to create a mathematical algorithm to better interpret the results so they could understand what results indicated that a suspect is lying.  Interestingly, a polygraph does not detect lies, it detects responses linked to stress and anxiety.  Because many people think that a polygraph ca...

      This week's videos got me thinking about how little privacy we really have these days. The one that caught my attention the most was Juan Enriquez's discussion on "electronic tattoos." This analogy really captures social media and all we do online. Many people upload things without considering that they might still be viewed years from now. I am aware that I probably wouldn't want everyone to view some of my older social media posts, especially those from when I was young. The video about the My Friend Cayla doll also caught me off guard. This demonstrated that our devices can cause privacy issues in unexpected places, despite the fact that most parents undoubtedly feel toys are safe. I have also read about children talking to strangers through home devices like Google Home or Alexa that have been hacked and accessed by nefarious individuals. This further highlights how important it is to keep a watchful eye on every device that is capable of connecting ...

  When people think about communication technology today, they often think of smartphones, computers, and the internet. However, one of the most important communication technologies ever created is paper , which has played a major role in human communication for thousands of years. Before modern paper existed, people used materials such as clay tablets, tree bark, cave walls, and papyrus to record information. These materials were often heavy, expensive, fragile, or difficult to transport. As civilizations expanded, people needed a more practical way to record and share information across distances and generations. Papyrus was developed in Egypt as early as 3000 BCE. It was made by cutting the papyrus plant into strips, laying them in overlapping layers, and pressing them together to form a writing surface. While papyrus made writing more portable than stone or clay, it still had limitations in durability and production. Although earlier writing materials existed, Cai Lun (Ts’ai Lu...

p>  Eight Values of Free Expression The “Theory of Stable Change” or Safety Value resonates with me most because this theory says that people who speak their minds are less likely to be violent. This theory is very important right now because people have the right to vote and speak their minds on who they want to win an election. When we have elections in the U.S. we have a say on who we want to vote on but one side will end up unhappy. They will need to be able to speak up about their reaction or dissatisfaction so that they do not become violent. When citizens feel safe to speak about their feelings they will still feel like they are part of the decision making process even though their candidate did not win the election. Stable Change says that when everyone can speak out, things remain calm. Voting is one way that citizens can speak their minds. Another way is through protests. When citizens gather to protest for or against something happening in the country they are trying to...

  The Supreme Court is a model for the world. The Court interprets the constitution, a 200 year old document, draws boundaries to government power and is a coequal branch of government.  After watching the videos, I learned some things I did not know about the Supreme Court. Not taking a case does not mean that the Supreme Court upheld the ruling from a lower court. We often hear the news report that when the Court does not take a case they upheld the ruling from a lower court, but it actually means that the Court refused to hear the case and just let the lower court ruling stand. The case could be brought back to the Court if they have a new argument is presented.   The most important take-away point is that the Supreme Court does not deal with issues unless the issue will have a broad impact. The Court dose not look for issues to resolve like other branches of government who manage issues every day. The most surprising thing I learned from the videos is tha...

#1 Family and Friends: I often get my news from my family and friends because they are people I trust. When my parents or friends tell me about something happening in the world, I feel more comfortable listening because I know they are sharing information they think is important. They can also explain complicated topics in a way that is easier for me to understand. Another benefit is that I learn about news stories I might not have seen on my own. Talking with family and friends helps me hear different perspectives and stay informed about current events. However, I know it is important to make sure the information is accurate. If the person sharing the news does not check their source, the information could be incorrect. Overall, I think family and friends are a good source of news because they are people I trust and can help me better understand what is happening in the world. #2 CNN: Whenever I want to learn more about a current event,  CNN  is often one of the first sources...