"Free Speech" aka the first amendment

People are constantly using the concept of free speech inappropriately. There is no law that says that anyone can say whatever they want anytime or place they want. The first amendment is only in reference to the government not being able to censor you.

"Free Speech" doesn't mean that a website can't censor you, or that you can't get fired at work for something you say. TFS can edit or delete posts you've made as they see fit, and be completely within their rights. If you said something that the company you work for feels is bad for their image, they can fire you for it, and no one can stop them for that, regardless of the subject matter.

The first amendment would apply if, for example, the government were to try to shut down a publication because of the content they post, the way they do in China. If you are a student at a public school (government funded), the school can be sued based on the first amendment if they attempt to suppress the students' views, opinions or beliefs, or creative expression. If you go to a private school, you cannot sue them for those reasons, as they have no connection to the government.

This has been bugging me for a while, because people throw this concept around like they are entitled to blab their mouths off anytime they please and no one can stop them. Yes, you can be censored, just not by the US Government. But hey, if you don't like the website you're on censoring you, you have every right to start your own, and no one can shut it down. If you don't like the company you work for censoring you, you can start your own, and no one can censor your company. THAT is free speech.

So as long as something somewhere says you aren't allowed to say something, you can not?

Yep, assuming it's not coming from the government. But, since it's not coming from the government, you can't be arrested for saying it, even if whoever it is doesn't want you to say it. but they can have their own consequences for instance, getting fired if it's your employer, or being banned from a company or group's building/place of organization, refusal to provide services, etc.

First rule of free speech.

Learn to write a proper sentence.

Which sentence are you referring to?

O.k., so what if someone on television says something that the network finds "wrong" and they fire that person because of it?
I guess I'll use Bill Maher as an example, because of the situation he was in....

I'm not familiar with the Bill Mahr situation, but they have every right to fire someone for saying something they disapprove of. They can even fire him for saying something they don't like that has nothing to do with the company, and wasn't on company time. If a company goes to your Facebook profile, and sees that you made a post saying that you love baby seals, and they don't like that for whatever reason, they can fire you. Nothing illegal about it. You may feel it's unfair, but that doesn't make it illegal.

O.k., well do you think these sort of actions should be illegal?
Even if it says nothing about it in the 1st amendment....
(Especially on a show where they are sharing their opinion)
By the way: here is a wikipedia page about the Bill Maher situation.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politically_Incorrect ... under "Cancellation and Controversy"

No, I don't think so. I've read the page from the link you provided now. Can you imagine a nightmare scenario where a person says blatantly offensive things which causes the network to lose viewers and advertisers, but the network can't fire them because of free speech laws? It would sink the network. Employees could blackmail their employers into giving them whatever they want, under the threat that they'll start blabbing offensive things in association with the company, and the company can't do anything about it, so they succumb. It would be really awful.

Well networks always cancel shows for not having a good amount of viewers....
(that is sort of a rule of thumb for television networks)
And what if people watch the show because they like to see the persons offensive statements, or they happen to agree with them...
In television it should mostly come down to amount of viewers...

Interesting post, but why is this bugging you so much and what prompted you to post this up here?

Because it gets brought up all the time on this forum.

For example:

Person1: "I think such-and-such about whatever situation."
Person2: "I disagree with you."
Person1: "I can say what I want, we have free speech in this country you know!"

Unless Person2 is a US government official trying to impose censorship, Person1's argument is useless, and merely shows off their ignorance.

That example happens on this forum all the time, and it gets annoying, lol.

Just ignore them?

I mean 1/2 the planet is at war with it's self and billions are starving...hey ho.

...and so people shouldn't have opinions about the way people interact? 100% of all our energy should be devoted to the wars and the poor, and absolutely everything else is irrelevent and should be ignored completely? Interesting. I guess we all should get off this forum right now then. I'll bet good odds there's a poor starving person within a couple miles of your house, you'd best go find them.

No way, I've got stock in the companies that make sleeping bags...bring on the poor & homeless.