This year, practice bold journalism and brave advocacy, knowing SPLC has your back.
In this guide you’ll find:
- How to Contact SPLC’s Hotline For Help
- Censorship Red Flags to Look Out For
- The Number One Thing to Understand About Your Adviser
- Quiz: How Well Do You Understand Self-Censorship?
Need Help? Have Questions? Contact the Hotline!
Contact SPLC’s free legal hotline for help with censorship, freedom of information, copyright, or to have an attorney provide a pre-publication libel check— we answer every call.
About us: Since 1974, SPLC has been providing information, training and legal assistance at no charge to student journalists and the educators who work with them. SPLC is an independent nonpartisan nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.
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Censorship Red Flags: What to Look Out For
Censorship isn’t always cut and dry. That’s why, for the next few weeks, we’re talking about red flags to watch out for. Follow @studentpresslawcenter on Instagram for more content like this.
Remember, if you need help dealing with censorship, contact SPLC’s hotline!
The Number One Thing to Understand About Your Adviser
Your adviser is there to support you, but when it comes right down to it, they are also a school employee. That means that if censorship occurs, they are limited in their ability to fight for you. Doing so could cost them their job.
Courts have made clear that it is students’ legal rights — not the adviser’s — that are at stake. The bottom line is that you must be willing to stand up to protect your own free speech rights. Your adviser being fired for insubordination does no one any good.
Fighting censorship can seem intimidating, but you aren’t alone! We have your back. Contact SPLC’s hotline for help.
Test Your Student Media Law Knowledge
How well do you know the First Amendment? What about internet law? Copyright? Take our newly updated quizzes and find out.
Subscribe to SPLC’s newsletters
Want the latest news about student press freedom, excellent examples of student journalism and tips for your own newsroom? Sign up for SPLC’s Weekly Newsletter.
Looking to get more involved in the New Voices movement? Our monthly New Voices Newsletter is full of tips for effective advocacy.
More resources
Explore SPLC’s website or contact our legal hotline for answers to all of your media law questions.