Free Speech on Facebook

. "Are Facebook "likes" protected by the First Amendment? A recent ruling by a court in Virginia raises questions about free speech in the digital age.." Upfront Magazine 2012. 14 Jan. 2013 <http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Are+Facebook+%22likes%22+protected+by+the+First+Amendment%3F+A+recent...-a0310150547>.

Upfront Magazine,

Are Facebook "likes" protected by the First Amendment? A recent ruling by a court in Virginia raises questions about free speech in the digital age.

 

This week i read an article in Upfront Magazine called, 'Are Facebook "likes" protected by the First Amendment? A recent ruling by a court in Virginia raises questions about free speech in the digital age.' It's about a public worker, Daniel Ray Carter, who got fired for liking his boss's competitor's facebook page. As a public employee, he has the right to free speech without being fired. ut last spring, Judge Raymond A. Jackson of the Federal District Court in Norfolk, Virginia said that liking a page on facebook wasn't making a statement, so that wasn't included in his rights. There is a similar issue in school, with kids saying something on facebook or twitter about faculty, and the principals not knowing if they can be punished. There is a fine line between home and work life.

 

I think that the author wants you to decide for yourself whether the judge was right or wrong. They are not really biased, though I think that they might be leaning more towards Carter's side. They probably want you to think about what the difference between home life and wor life is, and where those should meet. They used examples that relate to anyone, whether it be work or school, so that we can all understand better what is happening. They make you feel like that is a really weird reason to fire someone, which I think it is, and that the writers of the Bill of Rights didn't foresee this happening. The judges have nothing to go on, and this is what is causing controversy.

I think that this is ridiculous and that you shouldn't be fired for liking an opponents page, especially if you are a public worker and you have the right to free speech. Liking something on facebook is like saying, "Oh, I agree with you", which is a statement, which would count as free speech. Carter's boss shouldn't have the right to look on his facebook page and then fire him because of doing something that was supposed to be part of Carter's home, not work, life. I also think that schools shouldn't have the right to punish children for things they do at home. The courts ruled with me, so the same thing should go for work. And maybe Carter only liked the page because he wanted to see what his opponent was doing. Unlikely, but still. He shouldn't have been fired for 'liking' something on facebook.