Broadcasting Static: The FCC Has No Authority to Police Content for Bias or Balance
Plus the DSA, a book review, and more...
Free Speech: We were joined by more than 70 legal scholars, free speech groups, and other experts expressing concerns over recent threats by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to punish broadcasters for airing constitutionally protected speech—an attempt to pressure media outlets through vague legal claims and regulatory intimidation. In The Hill, Berin further explains how these threats undermine both the First Amendment and the Constitution’s guarantees of due process. The letter was also featured in Radio & Television Business Report.
FTC: Berin and Santana filed comments recommending that the FTC leave issues related to gender-affirming care (GAC) to medical professionals, and emphasizing the limited scope of the Commission’s authority and the potential impact of its actions on speech protected by the First Amendment.
DSA: The Federalist Society published Berin’s panel discussing the EU’s Digital Services Act and its implications for freedom of expression. As we noted in our recent letter with 30+ EU and US scholars, the DSA isn’t a censorship law—it’s content-neutral and applies only within the EU.
Book Review: In City Journal, Corbin reviews Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity—a critique of technological modernity. As Corbin explains, Kingsnorth, though an elegant writer, is making an aesthetic pitch for poverty. Corbin has made a habit of pushing back on highbrow anti-tech tomes. See here, here, and here.
Rulemaking: Andy posted a thread arguing that the FTC’s success in enforcing existing laws like ROSCA shows new regulations are unnecessary. He questions the need for additional rulemaking given the agency’s strong track record and the burdens of the process.
