Q: I am wondering is it legal to limit speech on a website forum if the speech is not an acceptable forum topic?
For example if a person has an alternate explanation for a current popularly accepted scientific theory. Is it legal to ban people from talking about alternate theories or ideas?
A:
Your free-speech rights do not prohibit the owner of the website from limiting what you say on that forum. If you want to express something the web-site owner doesn't want, you can find another web-site.
Or to put it in terms that the founders would understand, if you want to publish your views, and a particular newspaper or book publisher doesn't agree with those views, the publisher doesn't have to publish what you write. Get your own printing press.
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
