Knight First Amendment Institute
@knightcolumbia.org
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University defends the freedoms of speech & the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, policy advocacy, and public education.
https://knightcolumbia.org/
https://knightcolumbia.org/
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
The FBI's raid of a Washington Post reporter's home comes amid a broader pattern of attacks on the media, including lawsuits, funding cuts, and increasing media and technology consolidation.
FBI Raids Home of Washington Post Reporter as Attacks on Press Freedom Intensify Under Trump
The FBI raided the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson this week and seized her electronic devices, part of a leak probe into a government contractor accused of mishandling classified gov...
www.democracynow.org
January 15, 2026 at 3:25 PM
The FBI's raid of a Washington Post reporter's home comes amid a broader pattern of attacks on the media, including lawsuits, funding cuts, and increasing media and technology consolidation.
"In his ruling, Judge Young, who is 85 and has served as a federal judge for over 40 years, described the case as “perhaps the most important” of his career." Read @zjmontague.bsky.social's curtain raiser in @nytimes.com ahead of today's AAUP v. Rubio remedy hearing: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/u...
Judge to Weigh Next Steps in Student Activist Deportations Case
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:07 PM
"In his ruling, Judge Young, who is 85 and has served as a federal judge for over 40 years, described the case as “perhaps the most important” of his career." Read @zjmontague.bsky.social's curtain raiser in @nytimes.com ahead of today's AAUP v. Rubio remedy hearing: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/u...
"Searches of newsrooms and journalists are hallmarks of illiberal regimes, and we must ensure that these practices are not normalized here," says @jameeljaffer.bsky.social, calling on the Justice Department to publicly explain its actions. See our full statement:
knightcolumbia.org/content/fbi-...
knightcolumbia.org/content/fbi-...
FBI Search of Washington Post Reporter’s Home Raises Serious First Amendment Concerns, Knight Institute Says
knightcolumbia.org
January 14, 2026 at 3:22 PM
"Searches of newsrooms and journalists are hallmarks of illiberal regimes, and we must ensure that these practices are not normalized here," says @jameeljaffer.bsky.social, calling on the Justice Department to publicly explain its actions. See our full statement:
knightcolumbia.org/content/fbi-...
knightcolumbia.org/content/fbi-...
🚨MEDIA ADVISORY: Knight Institute Asks Court to Block Trump Policy of Deporting Students and Faculty for Lawful Speech. Hearing to address question of what remedies the court should award in our AAUP v. Rubio case is on Thursday 1/15, 2:30pm ET. Join livestream: forms.mad.uscourts.gov/courtlist.html
Courtlist Schedule
forms.mad.uscourts.gov
January 12, 2026 at 3:45 PM
🚨MEDIA ADVISORY: Knight Institute Asks Court to Block Trump Policy of Deporting Students and Faculty for Lawful Speech. Hearing to address question of what remedies the court should award in our AAUP v. Rubio case is on Thursday 1/15, 2:30pm ET. Join livestream: forms.mad.uscourts.gov/courtlist.html
In the latest installment of our AI & Democratic Freedoms essay series, @joshuadarr.bsky.social argues that the adoption of AI in local journalism should go hand in hand with implementing more civically focused, participatory forms of journalism.
knightcolumbia.org/content/part...
knightcolumbia.org/content/part...
Participatory Journalism and Its Potential in AI-Assisted Local News
knightcolumbia.org
January 9, 2026 at 9:49 PM
In the latest installment of our AI & Democratic Freedoms essay series, @joshuadarr.bsky.social argues that the adoption of AI in local journalism should go hand in hand with implementing more civically focused, participatory forms of journalism.
knightcolumbia.org/content/part...
knightcolumbia.org/content/part...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
Judge Aileen Cannon denied our motion asserting a First Amendment right of access to Jack Smith's report about Trump's hoarding of classified docs at Mar-a-Lago. We @knightcolumbia.org filed a motion today asking the Eleventh Circuit to expedite our appeal. www.courtlistener.com/docket/72096...
January 9, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Judge Aileen Cannon denied our motion asserting a First Amendment right of access to Jack Smith's report about Trump's hoarding of classified docs at Mar-a-Lago. We @knightcolumbia.org filed a motion today asking the Eleventh Circuit to expedite our appeal. www.courtlistener.com/docket/72096...
Knight Institute Welcomes the Introduction of the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act
Says safe harbor for public interest research is vital to understanding of social media platforms
Statement from @nadinefj.bsky.social at the link:
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
Says safe harbor for public interest research is vital to understanding of social media platforms
Statement from @nadinefj.bsky.social at the link:
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
January 7, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Knight Institute Welcomes the Introduction of the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act
Says safe harbor for public interest research is vital to understanding of social media platforms
Statement from @nadinefj.bsky.social at the link:
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
Says safe harbor for public interest research is vital to understanding of social media platforms
Statement from @nadinefj.bsky.social at the link:
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
And here's an essay by Ken Stern, the author of the IHRA definition, lamenting that the definition is now being used to limit academic freedom. knightcolumbia.org/content/a-ba...
A Bad Deal: By Adopting the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Universities are Sacrificing Academic Freedom
knightcolumbia.org
January 4, 2026 at 1:36 PM
And here's an essay by Ken Stern, the author of the IHRA definition, lamenting that the definition is now being used to limit academic freedom. knightcolumbia.org/content/a-ba...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
The government has broad authority to control admission but courts have held *repeatedly*, over more than half a century, that the First Amendment bars the government from denying visas to foreign citizens simply because it dislikes what they have to say. 1/
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
They Seek to Curb Online Hate. The U.S. Accuses Them of Censorship.
www.nytimes.com
December 24, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The government has broad authority to control admission but courts have held *repeatedly*, over more than half a century, that the First Amendment bars the government from denying visas to foreign citizens simply because it dislikes what they have to say. 1/
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
Just filed: Notice of Appeal to the 11th Circuit asking the court to reverse Judge Aileen Cannon’s order denying the Knight Institute’s motion to intervene in Trump classified documents case.
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
United States v. Trump
knightcolumbia.org
December 23, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Just filed: Notice of Appeal to the 11th Circuit asking the court to reverse Judge Aileen Cannon’s order denying the Knight Institute’s motion to intervene in Trump classified documents case.
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
Read today's notice and more about the case here: knightcolumbia.org/cases/united...
NEW: Judge Cannon blocks release of Special Counsel's report about Trump’s retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
Judge Blocks Release of Special Counsel’s Report in Trump Classified Documents Case
knightcolumbia.org
December 23, 2025 at 12:46 AM
NEW: Judge Cannon blocks release of Special Counsel's report about Trump’s retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
“There is no legitimate reason for the report’s continued suppression. ... We will appeal this ruling," @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/judg...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
SCOTUS has just rejected the government's application for a stay in Margolin v. NAIJ, our challenge to restrictions on the speech of immigration judges. It should reject the government's forthcoming cert petition, too. Full @knightcolumbia.org statement below. knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
Supreme Court Rejects Government’s Request to Stay Challenge to Policy Silencing Immigration Judges
knightcolumbia.org
December 19, 2025 at 7:53 PM
SCOTUS has just rejected the government's application for a stay in Margolin v. NAIJ, our challenge to restrictions on the speech of immigration judges. It should reject the government's forthcoming cert petition, too. Full @knightcolumbia.org statement below. knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
SCOTUS maybe can't be blamed for not predicting exactly this, but the First Amendment was intended to prevent this outcome by heading off its beginning. Its decision upholding the TikTok ban looks worse today than ever -- as @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & I wrote:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
December 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
SCOTUS maybe can't be blamed for not predicting exactly this, but the First Amendment was intended to prevent this outcome by heading off its beginning. Its decision upholding the TikTok ban looks worse today than ever -- as @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & I wrote:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Jake Karr and @katiefallow.bsky.social on how the Trump administration has turned on its head Madison's declaration that in a republican government, “the censorial power is in the people over the Government, not in the Government over the people.”
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
James Madison would be Appalled | The Ripon Society
The Founders understood that free speech is a fundamental freedom on which our democracy rests. Restricting press access runs counter to this principle and ...
riponsociety.org
December 19, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Jake Karr and @katiefallow.bsky.social on how the Trump administration has turned on its head Madison's declaration that in a republican government, “the censorial power is in the people over the Government, not in the Government over the people.”
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
riponsociety.org/article/jame...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
The sanctions that Trump has imposed on the ICC and UN rapporteurs have been deterring American human rights advocates and scholars from exercising their First Amendment rights. This letter--obtained by @mesa1966.bsky.social & @knightcolumbia.org--should help. knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
Trump Administration Concedes That U.S. Researchers May Engage With Sanctioned U.N. Official
knightcolumbia.org
December 17, 2025 at 6:59 PM
The sanctions that Trump has imposed on the ICC and UN rapporteurs have been deterring American human rights advocates and scholars from exercising their First Amendment rights. This letter--obtained by @mesa1966.bsky.social & @knightcolumbia.org--should help. knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
“The Treasury Department’s concession is a significant reprieve to the many American scholars, journalists, and advocates that have been chilled from exercising their rights because they fear liability under U.S. sanctions laws,” @georgewang.bsky.social.
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
Trump Administration Concedes That U.S. Researchers May Engage With Sanctioned U.N. Official
knightcolumbia.org
December 17, 2025 at 2:41 PM
“The Treasury Department’s concession is a significant reprieve to the many American scholars, journalists, and advocates that have been chilled from exercising their rights because they fear liability under U.S. sanctions laws,” @georgewang.bsky.social.
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
More:
knightcolumbia.org/content/trum...
"Over the coming months, #SCOTUS will confront other cases in which the gov't invokes NatSec to justify the suppression of speech. ... [It] should be haunted by the #TikTok case & its ... scandalous coda," @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & @evelyndouek.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The US supreme court’s TikTok ruling is a scandal | Evelyn Douek and Jameel Jaffer
The decision means TikTok now operates under the threat that it could be forced offline with a stroke of Trump’s pen
www.theguardian.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
"Over the coming months, #SCOTUS will confront other cases in which the gov't invokes NatSec to justify the suppression of speech. ... [It] should be haunted by the #TikTok case & its ... scandalous coda," @jameeljaffer.bsky.social & @evelyndouek.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
The "embarrassing, scandalous coda" of the Supreme Court's TikTok decision--new from @evelyndouek.bsky.social and me. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The US supreme court’s TikTok ruling is a scandal | Evelyn Douek and Jameel Jaffer
The decision means TikTok now operates under the threat that it could be forced offline with a stroke of Trump’s pen
www.theguardian.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:30 PM
The "embarrassing, scandalous coda" of the Supreme Court's TikTok decision--new from @evelyndouek.bsky.social and me. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
From the brief just filed by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee in support of @knightcolumbia.org @weareoversight.bsky.social motions for release of Jack Smith's report. knightcolumbia.org/documents/d6...
December 12, 2025 at 8:02 PM
From the brief just filed by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee in support of @knightcolumbia.org @weareoversight.bsky.social motions for release of Jack Smith's report. knightcolumbia.org/documents/d6...
“The release of the report will shed light on the scope and integrity of the Special Counsel’s investigation and on the character and actions of the nation’s highest official. Judge Cannon should release [it] without further delay." @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
Knight Institute Welcomes House Judiciary Committee’s Call for Release of Special Counsel’s Report in Trump Classified Documents Case
knightcolumbia.org
December 12, 2025 at 8:12 PM
“The release of the report will shed light on the scope and integrity of the Special Counsel’s investigation and on the character and actions of the nation’s highest official. Judge Cannon should release [it] without further delay." @scottbwilkens.bsky.social.
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
Immigration judges urge Supreme Court to allow lower court ruling against Trump administration to remain in place
Immigration judges urge Supreme Court to allow lower court ruling against Trump administration to remain in place
A group of immigration judges on Wednesday afternoon urged the Supreme Court to leave in place a ruling by a federal appeals court that sent a dispute over a policy […]
www.scotusblog.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Immigration judges urge Supreme Court to allow lower court ruling against Trump administration to remain in place
Reposted by Knight First Amendment Institute
JUST FILED: Our opposition—on behalf of the National Association of Immigration Judges—to the government's motion asking the Supreme Court to put on hold our challenge to a sweeping prior restraint on the speech of the nation's immigration judges.
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
December 10, 2025 at 9:02 PM
JUST FILED: Our opposition—on behalf of the National Association of Immigration Judges—to the government's motion asking the Supreme Court to put on hold our challenge to a sweeping prior restraint on the speech of the nation's immigration judges.
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25...
Supreme Court Should Reject Government Effort to Delay Challenge to Policy Silencing Immigration Judges, Knight Institute Says. Learn more and see our statement below:
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
December 10, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Supreme Court Should Reject Government Effort to Delay Challenge to Policy Silencing Immigration Judges, Knight Institute Says. Learn more and see our statement below:
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
knightcolumbia.org/content/supr...
📌 WORK WITH US: We're hiring a Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of Communications, Media and Social Media Strategy. Help file precedent-setting litigation, undertake major research, and become an influential voice in debates about #freespeech in the digital age. knightcolumbia.org/page/work-wi...
| Knight First Amendment Institute
knightcolumbia.org
December 10, 2025 at 4:01 PM
📌 WORK WITH US: We're hiring a Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of Communications, Media and Social Media Strategy. Help file precedent-setting litigation, undertake major research, and become an influential voice in debates about #freespeech in the digital age. knightcolumbia.org/page/work-wi...
“People who study #misinformation … aren’t engaged in ‘censorship,’” says @knightcolumbia.org's @carriedecell.bsky.social. “They’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect.” More from @sulliview.bsky.social in @theguardian.com. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Trump’s crackdown on factchecker visas won't protect free speech | Margaret Sullivan
This isn’t about defending citizens. It’s about keeping the truth – and those skilled at protecting it – at a safe distance
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:24 PM
“People who study #misinformation … aren’t engaged in ‘censorship,’” says @knightcolumbia.org's @carriedecell.bsky.social. “They’re engaged in activities that the First Amendment was designed to protect.” More from @sulliview.bsky.social in @theguardian.com. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...