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==The First Amendment and censorship in the U. S.==

==The First Amendment and censorship in the U. S.==

In the United States, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Broadly speaking, the First Amendment, in combination with the British legal tradition that is the foundation of U. S. law, prevent the government from exercising censorship. More specifically, the government cannot exercise "prior restraint;" that is, a citizen never needs advance permission from the government in order to publish something. This does not mean that publication may not have consequences. A citizen can be sued for publishing [[libel]], or incarcerated for disclosing military secrets, but the consequences occur ''after'' publication, not before.

In the United States, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Broadly speaking, the First Amendment, in combination with the British legal tradition that is the foundation of U. S. law, prevent the government from exercising censorship.  

 

More specifically, the government cannot exercise "prior restraint;" that is, a citizen never needs advance permission from the government in order to publish something. This does not mean that publication may not have consequences. A citizen can be sued for publishing [[libel]], or incarcerated for disclosing military secrets, but the consequences occur ''after'' publication, not before.

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