My new book

 

 My latest publication, a textbook co-authored with Mark Grabowski, has been released by Routledge!

https://www.routledge.com/Cyber-Law-and-Ethics-Regulation-of-the-Connected-World/Grabowski-Robinson/p/book/9780367462604 

Study Shows Increasing U.S. Supreme Court Skepticism of the Press

A new study scheduled to be published in the North Carolina Law Review does show an apparent decline in the U.S. Supreme Court’s view of the press. 

https://scpress.org/study-shows-increasing-u-s-supreme-court-skepticism-of-the-press/

"How Free is Speech on Social Media?," Live on April 22

I'll be speaking on social media and free speech as part of the University of South Carolina's "Live @ the Library" series on Instagram on April 22! Join us!

 https://www.instagram.com/p/CNsGaf6nqZ3/?igshid=ivqmrctkc7y2 

Coming in July: My Next Book!

My next book, an undergraduate textbook written with Mark Grabowski, Associate Professor of Communications at Adelphi University, will be available in mid-July. Cyber Law & Ethics: Regulation of the Connected World, published by Routledge, is now available for pre-order.

https://www.routledge.com/Cyber-Law-and-Ethics-Regulation-of-the-Connected-World/Grabowski-Robinson/p/book/9780367462604

Article Examines, What's a "True Threat"?

My new journal article, written with my student Morgan Hill, explores that criteria that courts have used to determine whether a statement is a “true threat” under federal law, after the U.S. Supreme Court's failure to clarify the issue. It is in the latest issue of the University of Baltimore School of Law's Journal of Media Law & Ethics: https://bit.ly/3cVcZhI

My newest publication: Chapter 5 of Communication Technology Update & Fundamentals

 

ABA's Communications Lawyer Reviews My Book

The Communications Lawyer, published by the American Bar Association's Forum on Communications Law, has published a review of my book, Reckless Disregard: St. Amant v. Thompson and the Transformation of Libel Law. Thanks to Cynthia Counts for writing it.

Here's a highlight:

Robinson has provided a full and complete account of this most important case that played so prominently in the post-Sullivan evolution of libel law. This isn’t just important reading for media law scholars, history buffs, or practicing attorneys.It is required reading.

The review is available here.

The First Amendment and the Right to Protest

In the past two days I've been interviewed by the Charleston Post & Courier and WLTX, channel 19 in Columbia, about the First Amendment rights to free speech and protest, and the limited circumstances in which the government can step in:

•  SC governments, schools, hospitals taking action after rash of racist social media posts, Charleston, S.C. Post & Courier, June 1, 2020
  
• What are your rights as a protester, to assemble?, WLTX 19, Columbia, S.C.. June 2, 2020

In both interviews, I emphasized the importance of the rights of peaceful free speech and to petition the government under the First Amendment, and the essential need to protect and honor these rights, particularly during difficult and contentious times.

My Terms of Service Study is Published

My study on whether rewriting web sites' terms of service in "plain English" is effective in making them more understandable to users has been published in the academic journal Social Media + Society. It is available at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2056305119897321.

In test of revised FOIA, judge rules against last-minute agenda additions

My January column for the South Carolina Press Association:
https://scpress.org/in-test-of-revised-foia-judge-rules-against-last-minute-agenda-additions/


A recent common pleas court decision appears to be the first application of recent changes to South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Law, and requirements for public notice of agenda items at public meetings. And since an appeal is planned, it may establish an important precedent on this issue.
Changes to South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act in 2015 added a requirement that public bodies subject to the law publicly release an agenda at least 24 hours in advance of any regularly scheduled meeting, and that any additions to the agenda similarly be announced publicly at least 24 hours before the meeting.

I'm featured in a story posted today to the college's web page.

https://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/cic/journalism_and_mass_communications/news/2020/cultivating_legal_minds.php