First Amendment
The constitutional amendment protecting freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition from government interference.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights, provides: '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; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'
The amendment applies to all levels of government — federal, state, and local — through incorporation via the Fourteenth Amendment. It does not apply to private actors such as employers, social media platforms, or other private entities.
The First Amendment is not absolute. The Supreme Court has recognized categories of unprotected or less-protected speech, including obscenity, defamation, fraud, incitement to imminent lawless action, and true threats.