Zoe's Blog

 Diversity has been on a constant incline in media and in the entertainment industry. But why is it important for diversity to be shown?  Teenagers and young adults answer this question simply: it educates more people about their cultures. Without representation of various races, sexualities, or genders, many people would not be educated on the issues these groups face or their differences when facing the world.  While representation stands as a strong pillar, misrepresentation is a slippery slope. For example, when LGBTQ+ people demanded change and representation in the 70s and 80s, they received it, but in an ugly and demeaning way. Sitcoms used gay, lesbian and trans people as jokes or a way to poke fun at someone outside of the normal. These jokes perpetuated more misrepresentation and disrespect and only in recent years have LGBTQ+ issues actually been taken seriously in film and media.  Other stereotypes about minorities have also perpetuated harm. The stereot...

 Trademarks and Copyright have been issues for decades. With how prominent they both are, it is shocking to realize how many people do not understand how each of them work. While trademarks apply to things such as colors and sounds, copyright can be used for music, movies, artwork, literature, and in many other areas. With so much confusion surrounding what can or cannot be copyrighted, a lot of stuff gets left in grey areas.  For example, Wordle recently gained controversy over having a similar goal as a past game titled "Lingo". According to Professor Bruce Boyden, games are not copyrightable . Designs of games can be copyrighted, but the actual goal and object of a game cannot. In the case for Wordle, the New York Times do not have to worry about copyright infringement as it is a game similar to Lingo, but one with a different name, colors, and distribution. 

 Defamation is one of the vast issues First Amendment Experts constantly struggle to draw the line with. It is one of the most harmful things that can be done as it leaves a record and a possibly false impression of a person. Defamation claims were particularly high during the MeToo movement, in which many men in entertainment industries were being accused of sexual misconduct.  One example of how defamation claims have risen because of situations like these comes from 2021 when Ed Henry, a fired Fox News Host,  sued the news channel and Suzanne Scott for defaming him as a criminal.  Whether or not he is innocent of his allegations is not what is to be focused on here. Instead, this lawsuit encompasses whether or not remarks made about his reason for dismissal were in some way defamatory. 

On January 2nd of this year, Twitter confirmed that Marjorie Taylor Greene was permanently suspended from their platform. According to the social media company, the Georgia Representative had repeatedly violated their misinformation policy in regards to COVID-19.  This resulted in a permanent suspension of Greene's personal account, @mtgreenee.  The ban came with uproar from Greene as well as backlash from other conservative representatives. Republican Kevin McCarthy criticized Twitter for trying to "silence" Greene. According to The Hill , the House Minority Leader stated that, "It is clear any speech that does not fit Big Tech's orthodoxy gets muzzled".  This situation and the response to it from conservatives has raised questions about Twitter's right to censor people on their platform. As explained by Andrew Geronimo to Vox , Twitter is still considered a private business and because of that, does not have to be subjected to entertain any specific ...

 In December of 1965, three students of a Des Moines high school and middle school were sent home and suspended after wearing black armbands in protest against the Vietnam War. Upset that the school was taking away their freedom of expression, the parents of these students sued the school district. This case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District , would finally be settled by the Supreme Court in 1969. The court ruled in a 7-2 decision that students do not lose their First Amendment right to speech on campus and that the school would have to prove that their actions would interfere with the school. This "test" would be called the Tinker Standard. This case set a precedent for how schools determined what was harmful to their students' environment.  However, during this time, all expressions of speech occurred either in person or in print. In the modern era, it is necessary to understand how freedom of speech can be protected or taken away on social med...