<story><title>NY Federal Court: There&apos;s a Right to Record Police, Also Inside Station Lobbies</title><url>https://www.techdirt.com/2023/11/20/ny-federal-court-theres-a-right-to-record-police-officers-and-state-law-says-that-includes-inside-station-lobbies/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>sandworm101</author><text>While I support freedom of speech, I cannot bring myself to support these auditors.  They all act like entitled jerks bent on provoking confrontation to generate clicks.  I&amp;#x27;m ashamed that these jerks are at the forefront of anything. In the past it was Hustler magazine fighting against a religious-political system styming freedom of speech.  Today it is losers with cellphones fighting over their right to shout at people in libraries.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>jawns</author><text>There are many First Amendment auditors out there, and I agree with you that a good number of them purposefully attempt to provoke a reaction or get under people&amp;#x27;s skin.&lt;p&gt;But I&amp;#x27;ve watched dozens of Reyes&amp;#x27; videos, and that is not his style.  If he enters a public space, he doesn&amp;#x27;t call attention to himself and typically doesn&amp;#x27;t speak to anyone unless spoken to.  Most often, he films the walls of public buildings, and if he points a camera at anyone in particular, it&amp;#x27;s only because they&amp;#x27;ve approached him to ask him what he&amp;#x27;s doing.  He is cordial in his responses and will generally politely explain to anyone who inquires that he&amp;#x27;s an independent journalist gathering content for a story.&lt;p&gt;On the flip side, police and other government officials routinely treat him with contempt and hostility from the moment they see him, barking unlawful orders at him and attempting to suppress conduct that the law explicitly protects.  He&amp;#x27;s been assaulted, had his camera equipment destroyed, and been unlawfully arrested multiple times, as he was by the NYPD.  If he comes off a little salty as a result of that mistreatment, it&amp;#x27;s at least understandable.&lt;p&gt;But even in the case where First Amendment auditors are not being respectful and are acting like jerks ... it&amp;#x27;s worth noting that the First Amendment is not designed to protect content and actions that others approve of, or that make others feel comfortable.  It is explicitly designed to protect speech that others would rather we not speak, religions that others would rather we not practice, journalism that others would rather we not publish.  So even if they are being jerks, as long as their conduct is legally protected, it at least allows us to determine whether the First Amendment is being respected.</text></comment>
<story><title>NY Federal Court: There&apos;s a Right to Record Police, Also Inside Station Lobbies</title><url>https://www.techdirt.com/2023/11/20/ny-federal-court-theres-a-right-to-record-police-officers-and-state-law-says-that-includes-inside-station-lobbies/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>sandworm101</author><text>While I support freedom of speech, I cannot bring myself to support these auditors.  They all act like entitled jerks bent on provoking confrontation to generate clicks.  I&amp;#x27;m ashamed that these jerks are at the forefront of anything. In the past it was Hustler magazine fighting against a religious-political system styming freedom of speech.  Today it is losers with cellphones fighting over their right to shout at people in libraries.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>ceejayoz</author><text>Larry Flynt was definitely a jerk bent on provoking confrontation.&lt;p&gt;Cops who can&amp;#x27;t handle a jerk without committing a clear violation of the Constitution &lt;i&gt;shouldn&amp;#x27;t be cops&lt;/i&gt;.</text></comment>