Sixth Circuit: Parody is protected speech, so lawsuit against police department and officers proceeds
Novak’s [mock Parma Police Department Facebook] page delighted, disgusted, and confused. Not everyone understood it. But when it comes to parody, the law requires a reasonable reader standard, not a “most gullible person on Facebook” standard. The First Amendment does not depend on whether everyone is in on the joke. Neither is it bothered by public disapproval, whether tepid or red-hot….
That’s part of the Sixth Circuit’s reasoning. Eugene Volokh has more here.
Tags: artlaw, Facebook, novak, parody, police department, sixth circuit, speech, website
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