When “Like”-Minded People Click: Facebook Interaction Conventions, the Meaning of “Speech” Online, andBland v. Roberts
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In Bland v. Roberts, a public-sector employee sued because he was fired for clicking the Facebook “Like” button on the campaign Website of his employer’s re-election rival. The judge dismissed the free-speech claim stating that “Liking” Web content is not “sufficient” speech to warrant constitutional protection. Employing relevance theory, we explored whether Facebook users’ attitudes and practice indicate the expectation of free-speech protection. Data collected included participants’ “Liking” habits and attitudes about whether “Liking” communicates a message. Two-thirds of the respondents agreed on the meaning of a “Like,” and 81.6% of respondents believed that “Liking” something is communicating a message.
Source: First Amendment Studies
Authors: Susan Sarapin, Pamela Morris
Institutions: Troy University, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
Language: English
Topic: Law, Rights, and Freedoms
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1992865636