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SEATTLE - The eighth episode of "Seattle News Weekly," FOX 13 Seattle Anchor Bill Wixey takes a deep dive into the First Amendment — what it protects, what it doesn’t and how those lines play out in today’s media landscape.
In this episode, Wixey hosts Seattle University’s Dr. Caitlin Carlson, chair of the Department of Communications and Media, to unpack the law and its real-world impacts on press freedom, social platforms, consolidation, misinformation and protest.
The conversation explores how foundational rights interact with modern challenges, from content moderation to government pressure on media companies, and why an informed public and robust local journalism are essential for a healthy democracy.
What does the First Amendment actually cover?
Wixey and Carlson's discussion starts with a baseline: the First Amendment, which includes five freedoms — speech, press, assembly, free exercise of religion and protection from a government-established religion.
Carlson emphasizes that while it’s "first," it sits alongside many other constitutional protections and isn’t a blanket shield for all expression.
Where are the legal limits?
Carlson outlines the categories that fall outside First Amendment protection, including true threats, incitement to imminent unlawful action, child pornography and "fighting words," alongside torts like defamation, and areas like copyright and trademark. Hate speech, she noted, is generally protected in the U.S. unless it crosses those lines.
How does First Amendment apply to social media?
Because social media platforms are private spaces, the government doesn’t set their moderation rules — companies do.
Platforms can go far beyond constitutional limits and ban categories of speech at their discretion, provided users agree to the terms.
Government pressure, consolidation, the press
In this episode, Carlson differentiates between protected criticism of the press by public officials and more troubling patterns, like lawsuits intended to chill reporting or regulatory pressure tied to ownership approvals.
She warns that media consolidation reduces the number of local journalists and narrows the range of voices and stories the public can access.
Misinformation, disinformation, and accountability
According to Carlson, misinformation and disinformation aren’t illegal in the U.S., and the government doesn’t referee truth. Instead, accountability often comes through civil litigation, like high-profile defamation cases, rather than regulation.
This conversation emphasizes the importance of media literacy and the risks of any authority declaring disfavored reporting as "fake news."
What protections exist for protesters?
Protest rights hinge on location. Peaceful demonstrations in traditional public forums — like parks and sidewalks — receive strong protection; private institutions, like private universities, have more discretion to set rules.
This episode explores recent controversies over campus protests and the tension between First Amendment principles and funding or immigration-status threats.
Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.
The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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