The right to free speech is protected by the First Amendment in
the US, but what does this mean for private employers and
employees? This article provides guidance on this topical question
in the wake of the unrest at the US Capitol on 6 January.
In the wake of the 6 January 2021 unrest at the United States
Capitol Building and several social media outlets suspending
President Trump's accounts, free speech is a hot topic.
Although the right to free speech is ingrained into American life,
free speech is not absolute. The Constitutional right to free
speech is not implicated by the actions of these private social
media platforms because they are private entities, not arms of the
government. Moreover, the First Amendment does not protect certain
speech intended to incite or produce violence and lawless
action.
