Updates

NCAC stands with Open The Government and co-signers to protect against coverups and overly broad exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act

Under the guise of security, Section 403 grants the agency director extraordinary powers to revoke pensions and benefits without formally charging, much less convicting, current and retired intelligence employees for any speech deemed a "leak".

"Regrettably, the United States will lack the full moral authority to advocate for world press freedom so long as our laws fail to effectively protect the majority of the Americans who gather and report news each day: Those working for student media." 2011 World Press Freedom Day Letter To President Obama on Student Press Freedom

We all believe in free speech, but does that mean anything goes? What about the speech that offends us, makes us cringe, and provokes our anger (and desire to censor)? Is there anything that should be outlawed in art, films, books, music, video games, TV, or online? Is free speech an all or nothing proposition or something in between? These films explore what kind of speech, if any, should be censored, and why. Our participants this year were compelling, provocative and we're honored to have them.

The American Civil Liberties Union, along with several other human rights and civil liberties organizations, sent a letter today to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Peter King (R-NY) expressing deep concern about his committee’s upcoming hearing on the so-called “radicalization of the American Muslim community.” The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 10.

NCAC adds signature to letter by OpenTheGovernment.org

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) sent a letter to Chairman Issa of the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform calling for an end to investigation of Freedom of Informatioepic.orgn Act requests by White House political appointees.

“Groups of parents are getting together and organizing in their communities to ban books,” adds Joan Bertin of the National Coalition Against Censorship. “I think what’s happening is once a book is challenged in one town, people on the same wavelength, it will flag that book for them. For example, we’ve seen three challenges to Sherman Alexie’s teen novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, all within the past three months, two in Missouri, one in Montana.”

NCAC joined more than 30 other free speech and open government groups in applauding the decision by the National Archives and Records Administration to re-open an investigation into the CIA’s destruction of videotapes recording torture session at “black sites” around the world. 

The First Amendment says that “Congress shall make no law …abridging the freedom of speech.” It doesn’t have an age restriction. Yet for the last 50 years, the Supreme Court has essentially written young people out of the First Amendment, holding that their rights to speech and access to information are limited and conditional. As a result, young people experience infringements on their rights in countless situations. Moreover, the exceptions that have been carved out for youth often affect the speech rights of adults as well.

On November 4, 2010, President Obama signed an executive order for controlled unclassified information that establishes a logical and productive process for getting control of the chaos of information categories.

NCAC Files Brief in Supreme Court Video Game Case; "Violent Video Games Are Protected Speech" Says National Free Speech Organization FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2010   MEDIA CONTACTS Teresa Koberstein, National Coalition Against Censorship, (212) 807-6222 ext. 19 or [email protected] NEW YORK -Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will decide whether the state of California can impose criminal penalties for selling [...]

The following letter opposing changes in existing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) protections was sent to the Hill on Wednesday, October 20, 2010.

On Wednesday, June 23 the National Coalition Against Censorship is hosting an unprecedented conversation between four of America's leading playwrights -- Edward Albee, David Henry Hwang, Terrence McNally and Adam Rapp -- all of whom have experienced censorship of their work. Time Out New York's Theater Editor David Cote will moderate.

Does the First Amendment bar a state from restricting the sale of violent video games to minors? That’s the question now before the Supreme Court in a case that will be argued fall of 2010.

NCAC joins an effort seeking to maintain public access under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to unclassified “terrorist identity information” (TII).

On Saturday, March 27, 1:00 PM, NCAC screens the winners of the 2009 Youth Free Expression Network (YFEN) film contest at its annual Youth Voices Uncensored event at the New York Film Academy at 100 East 17th Street in Manhattan.

Concerned because the deletion of government emails has hampered investigations into possible official wrong-doing, NCAC joins OpenTheGovernment.org in requesting Congress to act to insure the preservation of government records.

With Congress poised to vote on reauthorizing the USA PATRIOT Act later this week, the New York Civil Liberties Union today joined a coalition of 43 organizations from across New York State in urging the state’s federal lawmakers to support critical reforms to the controversial law that would restore Americans’ privacy and constitutional rights.

A Jefferson County Public School student in Kentucky was banned from mentioning the name of his website in a Search Engine Optimization class offered through the online continuing education program. His URL: www.oldbastard.com. His contex: he sells bastard files.

The 2009 YFEN Film Contest "Free Speech in Schools (Does it Exist?)" This year marks the 40th anniversary of the famous Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines when the court ruled in favor of students who had been suspended for protesting the Vietnam War. The Tinker case stated that students "do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of [...]

Jordan Allen "Freedom Thieves" Nathaniel Dueber "Expelled" Aaron Dunbar "Rumors" Taylor Dunlap and Caroline Dunaway "REVOLUTION: a mockumentary" Jovan Landry "J.o.V.™ - Student Perception" Lauren Leak "Common [Censored]" Noemie Long "Is There Really Free Speech in School" Jack McClintock "A Promised Freedom-Within Reach" Ashley Mills "Freedom" Amy Obarski "Petty Inquiries" Stephen Small and Tom Piasny "Silenced" Katelyn Whitehead "Have We [...]

Biographies of "Friends" participating in NCAC's 35th Anniversary - A Night of Comedy with Judy Blume & Friends.

The following is the Judiciously Using Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts (JUSTICE) Act support letter, commending the senators for introducing legislation that will amend many provisions of law that have diminished Americans’ privacy over the last eight years. The letter also urges Congress to pass the bill as soon as possible.

Celebrate NCAC's 35th Aniversary - A Night of Comedy with Judy Blume & Friends by placing a tribute ad in the special anniversary journal.

RSVP here for NCAC's 35th Anniversary - A Night of Comedy with Judy Blume & Friends.

There are many effective ways to respond to censorship challenges. In the past individuals and groups who support free speech have raised awareness about specific incidents and overarching trends through social network groups and causes, including Facebook and Twitter. Individuals have created petitions, organized marches and held 'read-ins' of banned materials at local public libraries. Get Informed: Check out the Kids Right [...]