No, it isn't. First, the Supreme Court has said that commercial speech does not deserve the same protection under the First Amendment that ordinary speech does. Hence, Truth in Advertising Laws are not unconstitutional. Second, Freedom of Speech does not guarantee a right to be heard. That you have something to say does not mean I have to publish it. Third, the First Amendment only says the government cannot create laws that punish people, in essence, for what they say. It says nothing about non-governmental entities excercising their right to choose what they do and do not publish.
It would be wrong for a FOSS news site to refuse advertisements from Microsoft just as it would be wrong for a Windows news site to refuse advertisements from Red Hat.
Windows sites are perfectly free to refuse advertisements from RedHat just as vegetarian magazines are free to refuse advertisements for meat products. Part of doing business is the ability to select whom you will do business with. But I wasn't suggesting that Microsoft not be allowed to advertise on Newsforge, only that the "Get The Facts" ads be rejected if, as they claim, they find them so wrong.
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Re:Oh, the Irony...
Posted by: tsg on June 28, 2005 02:41 AMNo, it isn't. First, the Supreme Court has said that commercial speech does not deserve the same protection under the First Amendment that ordinary speech does. Hence, Truth in Advertising Laws are not unconstitutional. Second, Freedom of Speech does not guarantee a right to be heard. That you have something to say does not mean I have to publish it. Third, the First Amendment only says the government cannot create laws that punish people, in essence, for what they say. It says nothing about non-governmental entities excercising their right to choose what they do and do not publish.
It would be wrong for a FOSS news site to refuse advertisements from Microsoft just as it would be wrong for a Windows news site to refuse advertisements from Red Hat.
Windows sites are perfectly free to refuse advertisements from RedHat just as vegetarian magazines are free to refuse advertisements for meat products. Part of doing business is the ability to select whom you will do business with. But I wasn't suggesting that Microsoft not be allowed to advertise on Newsforge, only that the "Get The Facts" ads be rejected if, as they claim, they find them so wrong.
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