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My friend gave me a Joe Camel sweatshirt. Is it illegal for me to wear it now?
 
Would it be legal for a telemarketer to call me at 1 a.m., waking me up, to sell me something?
 
Can creditors and telemarketers use profanity over the telephone?
 
Why should gambling ads be different from any other ads?
 
If the government has the greater power to ban gambling ads, why would there be any constitutional problem with restricting speech about gambling?
 
 

There could be a constitutional problem because the United States Supreme Court has written that “the text of the First Amendment makes clear that the Constitution presumes that attempts to regulate speech are more dangerous than attempts to regulate conduct.”

In its 1986 decision in Posadas De Puerto Rico Associates v. Tourism Company of Puerto Rico, the Court did adopt the so-called “greater-includes-the-lesser argument.” The Court wrote that “the greater power to completely ban casino gambling necessarily includes the lesser power to ban advertising of casino gambling.” This decision was heavily criticized by legal commentators as failing to provide sufficient protection for freedom of speech.

A decade later, in a 1996 case concerning liquor ads, 44 Liquormart, Inc. v. Rhode Island, the Court rejected this argument. The Court reasoned that attempts to suppress speech are oftentimes worse than banning conduct. Because the free flow of information is vital to a constitutional democracy, the government often has less power to regulate speech, particularly truthful speech.

 
 
What are the main arguments advanced by those for and against billboards?
 
If the purpose of the ads producers are required to fund is sound economic regulation, then in pursuit of that goal can producers also be forced to make (or not make) certain statements?
 
Why does government regulation of news racks raise a First Amendment issue?
 
Are all attorney ads now protected?
 
Why shouldn't the FDA have unfettered ability to regulate the content of labels on health products?
 
Can I sue someone for sending me junk faxes?
 
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Last system update: Saturday, November 21, 2009 | 09:52:54
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