Slanderous Speech
The First Amendment of the United States proclaims: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press…” (First Amendment 1). Legally, the media can say whatever their hearts desire because of their right to freedom of speech. However, there are a few exceptions to this freedom. If what is stated by the media is slanderous, untrue, or aggressive, they are not protected by this right. In 2005, The Sun Newspaper released a story about Cameron Diaz, which claimed she was having an affair with a married man named Shane Nickerson (BBC 1). This false accusation greatly affected both Cameron and Shane, which created an abiding effect on their relationships, both personal and work related. This is a perfect example of how the media portrays inaccurate and slanderous information to the public and why their power needs to be limited.