International Law

Yesterday's controversial Supreme Court campaign finance decision was, at least in one way, a win for online-publishers everywhere.

Justice Kennedy's opinion was the first ever high court one to use the word "blog." As Eugene Volokh and Josh Blackman noticed, the text can be found on page 49:

Soon, however, it may be that Internet sources, such as blogs and social networking Web sites, will provide citizens with significant information about political candidates and issues. Yet, §441b would seem to ban a blog post expressly advocating the election or defeat of a candidate if that blog were created with corporate funds.

Justice Kennedy didn't stop there, though. A YouTube shout out was included in the same breath as "modern day movies and television comedies."

Of course, this is the same majority court that banned the use of video cameras in San Francisco's Prop 8 trial. Even if they don't want the mighty powers of the Internet entering their courtroom, they do understand its influence. How long until Twitter makes its Supreme Court debut?