Ep. 245: The Supreme Court's decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton

FIRE staff responds to the Court's decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton that addresses a Texas law requiring age verification for accessing certain sexual material online.

Joining us:

Will Creeley — Legal director

Bob Corn-Revere — Chief counsel

Ronnie London — General counsel

Timestamps:

01:21 How the case wound up at the Supreme Court

06:57 Bob’s experience with arguing strict scrutiny in the courts

09:32 Ronnie’s perspective on the ruling

10:22 Brick + mortar stores vs. online sites

12:07 Has the Court established a new category of partially protected speech?

13:36 What speech is still subject to strict scrutiny after the ruling?

15:55 What does it mean to address the “work as a whole” in the internet context?

17:24 What modifications to the ruling, if any, would have satisfied FIRE?

18:06 What are the alternatives to address the internet’s risks toward minors?

20:16 For non-lawyer Americans, what is the best normative argument against the ruling?

22:38 Why is this ruling a “canary in the coal mine?”

23:36 How is age verification really about identity verification?

24:42 Why did the Court assume the need to protect children without citing any scientific findings in its ruling?

26:17 Does the ruling allow for more identity-based access barriers to lawful online speech?

28:04 Will Americans have to show ID to get into a public library?

29:30 Why does stare decisis seem to mean little to nothing to the Court?

32:08 Will there be a problem with selective enforcement of content-based restrictions on speech?

34:12 Could the ruling spark a patchwork of state laws that create digital borders?

36:26 Is there any other instance where the Court has used intermediate scrutiny in a First Amendment case?

37:29 Is the Court going to keep sweeping content-based statutes in the “incidental effect on speech” bucket?

38:14 Is sexual speech considered obscene?

40:33 How does the ruling affect adult content on mainstream social media platforms like Reddit and X?

43:27 Where does the ruling leave us on age verification laws?

Read the transcript here: https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/fire-reacts-supreme-courts-decision-free-speech-coalition-v-paxton

Show notes:

- Supreme Court ruling: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-1122_3e04.pdf

- FIRE statement on FSC v. Paxton ruling: https://www.thefire.org/news/fire-statement-free-speech-coalition-v-paxton-upholding-age-verification-adult-content

- FIRE’s brief for the Fifth Circuit: https://www.thefire.org/news/supreme-court-agrees-review-fifth-circuit-decision-upholding-texas-adult-content-age

- FIRE’s amicus brief in support of petitioners and reversal: https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/amicus-brief-support-petitioners-and-reversal-free-speech-coalition-v-paxton