Media Law for the Real World: An Introduction

I’m starting a new series called Media Law for the Real World, where I take the concepts I’ve learned in Media Law & Ethics at Elon University and translate them — in plain English — into what they actually mean for Americans.

Before we begin, I want to start with who I am and why I’m writing this.

I’m an undergraduate student at Elon University studying Strategic Communications and Political Science. I’m a student journalist, a future law student, and someone who is genuinely obsessed with the First Amendment.

I’m creating this series because I believe deeply in the First Amendment and in what it stands for.
It gives every person a voice.
It protects your right to speak, to pray, to gather, to question your government, to publish truth, and to challenge power.

I believe in upholding those rights regardless of viewpoint.
Whether you’re Charlie Kirk or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, your voice has power.
It matters. And it deserves protection.

The First Amendment doesn’t belong to people who look like me, think like me, vote like me, talk like me, or believe like me.
It belongs to all of us — and that means all of us have a responsibility to defend it.

No one is coming to save it for us.
We have to use it, exercise it, and protect it.

But today, the First Amendment is under pressure. Polarization, censorship debates, book bans, disinformation, campus speech battles, government transparency issues … it’s all connected. And if we don’t understand how these freedoms actually work, we risk losing them without even realizing it.

This series is my way of fighting back against that.

Every post will break down a principle, a doctrine, or a court case — not in legal jargon, but in real-world language. My goal isn’t to argue for one side or another. My goal is creating a shared understanding of our rights. A space where people can learn how the First Amendment protects them, limits them, and shapes their daily lives.

Because the free marketplace of ideas — messy, loud, uncomfortable, and beautiful — is the backbone of a democratic society.

And we are nothing without it.

Welcome to Media Law for the Real World.
Let’s get into it!