![]() ![]() On the other hand, some videos of First Amendment audits show calm and peaceful encounters, along with captions or comments praising how local government officials handle the situation. The public comments posted to these videos sometimes mock, demean, and belittle the public officials and employees featured in the videos. ![]() A quick online search produces thousands of these videos from across the United States, many of which have been edited to include sensationalized captions and text. Some individuals involved in First Amendment audits monetize their videos by posting them to YouTube and accumulating subscribers. This nationwide movement, loosely connected through social media and other online platforms, involves individuals who film their encounters with government officials and employees and subsequently post the videos online. The individuals filming in these buildings refer to themselves as “First Amendment auditors” and claim to be testing whether a local government is complying with the First Amendment by allowing them to film freely. This scenario is happening at local government buildings across North Carolina. ![]() When you ask what he is doing, he says, “I’m exercising my First Amendment right to film inside a government building that’s open to the public.” What do you do next? A man walks in holding a cell phone and begins filming the lobby area, including your interactions with people seeking services from the county. Imagine you are a local government employee, working in the lobby area of a county agency. 141, Responding to First Amendment “Audits” in the Local Government Context. For a more detailed explanation and legal analysis of the issues discussed in this blog post series (including citations to cases referenced in the post), please see Local Government Law Bulletin No. And now more than ever, we must remember and respect those who devote their time and energy to it.This post is Part 1 of a multi-part series. True journalism is characterized by truth, accuracy, independence, transparency, accountability and of course, the freedom of speech. In order to prevent the patterns of declining democracy we have seen recently, we must find confidence in journalists again. The freedom of the press, protected by the First Amendment, is imperative in a democratic government that works for its people. However, it has never been more important, for young people especially, to consume the news and trust journalists. Yes, many people see the industry decaying and trust declining. This change has slightly blurred the lines of what it means to be a real journalist and begs two important questions: What is real journalism? And, how can we filter through the noise while still preserving freedom of speech?Īlthough the answers to these questions are not yet completely clear, it is obvious that the first step must be a commitment. The internet is saturated with “fake news”, violent rhetoric, “alternative facts” and information spread without any corroborated sources. Social media is also not bound by the same rules as traditional journalism. The rise of social media platforms has changed how we share and consume news, often allowing regular citizens to break big stories simply with the click of a button. This can be attributed to many things including polarizing political rhetoric, the rise of social media as a news outlet, and a change in consumers of news. However, in recent years, American confidence in both print and television news has plummeted. Throughout history, the press has fulfilled its role as a watchdog and gained the trust of American citizens by breaking important political stories such as the Watergate Scandal and the truth about the Vietnam War. “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.” The only profession explicitly named and protected by the U.S. The First Amendment right of free speech is now more important than ever for the journalism industry as we navigate a new era of what it means to be a journalist. This anniversary got me thinking about what it means to celebrate the Constitution in the 21st century, particularly the First Amendment, and particularly as a journalist. This week, Student Media hosted a Constitution Day event to celebrate the 235th anniversary of the delegates final meeting and signing of the United States Constitution. ![]()
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