Professor Samantha Barbas traces how New York Times v. Sullivan reshaped libel law, empowered investigative reporting, and protected the civil rights movement, then tests the standard against today’s social media landscape. She unpacks “actual malice,” reputation, and current calls to revisit the ruling.
What you will learn in this episode:
• what libel is and why it matters
• the meaning of actual malice as reckless disregard
• civil rights origins of the Sullivan decision
• how the ruling liberated investigative journalism
• modern critiques from reputation to originalism
• social media’s global scale of harm
• protection for journalists, bloggers, and everyday speakers
• the ongoing balance between speech and reputation
Actual Malice Civil Rights and Freedom of the Press in New York Times v. Sullivan.
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