When the Internet (Officially) Became the Public Square

The Supreme Court ruled on June 19, 2017 that internet access is protected by the First Amendment, comparing it to access to a street or park for public gatherings. In the Packingham v. North Carolina case, the Court struck down a law making it a criminal offense for registered sex offenders to access certain social media sites. The majority opinion emphasized the importance of protecting access to the internet and cautioned against restrictions on internet speech. Justice Alito expressed concerns about the implications of the broad sweep of the majority opinion. This ruling reaffirms U.S. commitment to freedom of expression online.