Constitution Quote by Thurgood Marshall
“It is now well established that the Constitution protects the right to receive information and ideas. ... This right to receive information and ideas, regardless of their social worth, ... is fundamental to our free society.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Supreme Court Oral Argument, 1965
The Constitution guarantees everyone the right to access information, regardless of its perceived value.
In simple terms: Freedom to receive ideas.
Key Takeaway
Protect information access.
Themes
freedom of speech
rights
democracy
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
legal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- journalism
- education
- public policy
- digital media
Key Concepts
constitutional law
information ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- Should all ideas be equally protected?
- How to limit misinformation?
A Different Perspective
Balancing harmful content with free access is complex.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
