Olivia's Communication Law and Ethics Blog

When most people think about the First Amendment, they think about the right to speak freely or criticise the government. Freedom of expression is important, but in studying the Eight Values of Free Expression, I saw it has a larger meaning in American society. The value that resonated most with me was Individual Self-Fulfillment, although I also found strong connections to the Marketplace of Ideas and Protect Dissent. These theories help to explain why free expression is so important in our everyday lives, particularly in a world of social media and digital communication.  C. Edwin Baker's theory of Individual Self-Fulfillment argues that freedom of expression allows individuals to grow into their identities, express their beliefs, and exercise personal autonomy. Of all the theories, this one is most personal for me. As a college student, I am constantly learning more about who I am, what I believe, and what I want to do in the future. Whether it is pursuing a Criminal Justice deg...

The United States Supreme Court consists of nine justices and is considered one of the most powerful judicial bodies in the world. Prior to watching the videos, I had the understanding that the Court interprets the Constitution and decides important legal disputes. However, I learned that the Court's true power is not founded solely on the Constitution. As the Videos explained, its legitimacy comes from the Constitution, but its power essentially resides in the faith and trust of the American people. This idea changed the way I thought about the Supreme Court and helped me better understand its true role in the American government.  One thing I learned that I did not previously know was how much the Court had transformed throughout history. The Videos talked about how in 1801, the Supreme Court had moved into temporary quarters in the unfinished Capitol building and how Chief Justice John Marshall altered the Court into being a co-equal branch of the government through the landmark...

1.  The New York Times   One of my favorite sources of news is The New York Times because it provides detailed coverage on both national and international events. As a Criminal Justice major on the Pre-Law track, I enjoy reading articles about major court cases, criminal investigations and legal developments. I also appreciate its coverage of arts and culture, especially stores about museums, theater and international events. since I am also studying Italian, I enjoy reading about European politics and cultural issues that help me better understand the world beyond the United States. I would recommend The New York Times to anyone who wants well researched journalism that goes beyond the headlines.    2.  TikTok   One of the tools that I often use to learn about news and current events is TikTok. I often find videos about true crime, which is a genre I love, consisting of body camera footage, creators discussing criminal cases, trials and the cases still be...